Qass_ EaoJo 

Book 



MINNESOTA'S 

FIFTIETH 
ANNIVERSARY 




SIXTH EDITION 



PUBLISHED BY 

MINNESOTA STATE BOARD OF IMMIGRATION 

H 

JOHN A. JOHNSON, Governor 

JULIUS A. SCHMAHL, Secretary of State 
S. G. IVERSON, State Auditor 

GEO. B. BARNES, Jr., Campbell 

A. E. NELSON, Minneapolis 



GEO. WELSH, Commissioner of Immigration 
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA 



INTRODUCTION. 



In handing this book to the public we deem it proper to say a 
few words relative to its contents. All information regarding the 
state, as well as the statistics of each county, are absolutely authen- 
tic, and there has been no attempt made to say anything about any 
county in the state that close investigation will not substantiate. 
The crop statistics shown by counties, in some cases, do an injustice, 
as they are based on the United States Government census report of 
1900, and were taken in 1899. Many of the counties, particularly in 
the northern districts, were at this time new and undeveloped, so 
that a census taken at the present time would show a marked in- 
crease, particularly in the cereal crop. The reason the crop aver- 
ages were given from so early a date is, that no statistics have been 
gathered by the state, or otherwise, since 1899. The reader will re- 
member that these are averages based upon the entire acreage plant- 
ed, whether it has been cared for, cultivated, husbandried or not. 
This book is a personal gift to you from the state, from the people 
of the state. When the legislature of 1907 created the Immigra- 
tion Board it was for the purpose of advertising the state and indu- 
cing immigration, but this book is issued more to assist and guide the 
homeseeker than to advertise. The writer has no land to sell, no 
mines or mills to operate, no waterpower to develop, therefore in 
preparing this book we have been absolutely unbiased and given the 
reader the benefit of plain facts and figures relative to the state. 
We do not claim for Minnesota anything that cannot be proven. 
We do not claim that it is the only place in the world to live, neither 
do we claim that a fortune awaits every one who moves within her 
border line, but we do claim and will undertake to prove that Min- 
nesota offers better inducements and greater opportunities for men 
in all walks of life than any other state in the Union. To the farm- 
er, improved farms can be purchased in the developed portions of 
this state at a lower price than any other section in America, con- 
sidering the improvements, producing value and close proximity to 
markets, while farther north a vast area of land, which is practical- 
ly in its infancy so far as development is concerned, can be purchas- 
ed from $5 an acre and upwards. Minnesota lands have never been 
boomed or advertised, but have had a steady and substantial de- 



velopment because of the healthy climate of the state, productive- 
ness of her soil, pure water, transportation facilities, and close prox- 
imity to good markets. The farmers of this state have never had a 
crop failure. Farm products have increased from, approximately, 
$10,000,000 in 1860 to $275,000,000 in 1905. In addition to these, 
thousands of acres of rich state and government land can be had 
almost for the asking. To the manufacturer, you can find an un- 
limited field for operation in almost any part of the state; with its 
thousands of rivers, to furnish waterpower, with its unexcelled rail- 
way and waterway transportation facilities, no better field could 
be desired. The capitalist and professional man is needed here, 
for with the steady growth of the many villages in southern and 
eastern Minnesota, new demands are constantly made in this line 
each year, while the many new towns which are springing up as if 
by magic on the borders of civilization farther to the north, offer 
a profitable and permanent location. The laborer is also offered 
a profitable field, for our manufacturing plants, railroads, Great 
Lakes, mines and farms afford emplojonent to hundreds of thousands 
of laboring men at good wages, and with the present rapid develop- 
ment of the unoccupied portions of the state, demands for laboring 
men will continue to increase. 

Over forty pages of this book have been given over to reprodu- 
cing photographic scenes from all parts of the state, and if consider- 
able space has been surrendered to illustrations, it is because they 
speak louder than words of the shining possibilities of this state. 
Come to Minnesota, a state of unparalleled opportunities and match- 
less resources, a state of good schools and churches, healthy climate, 
pure water and two million happy, intelligent and prosperous peo- 
ple. A royal welcome is extended to every person who wishes to be- 
come a citizen of this state, and the people of Minnesota bid the 
prospective home-builder to cast his lot among us. 

GEORGE WELSH, 
Commissioner State Board of Immigration. 



MINNESOTA. 



Minnesota, is a state covering a distance of a little over 405 miles 
from north to south, and 354 from east to west with an area of 84,- 
286.53 square miles, which gives her a variety of climate and soil, 
and, consequently, a distinct difference in products. 

The state may be sub-divided into three sections, namely: the 
southern one-third, which is a gently rolling prairie. The north- 
eastern one-third, which was originally covered with a dense growth 
of timber, and the section lying in the northwestern part of the 
state known as the Red River Valley. The southern, or prairie 
section of Minnesota, is glacial drift, not unlike that of northern 
Illinois, northern Iowa, and southern Wisconsin. The surface 
is covered with a rich, black loam to a depth ranging from 18 inches 
to 4 feet, resting almost invariably on a subsoil of .clay. 

Its climate is about the same as the districts mentioned. Its 
rainfall in the extreme southeast is about 30 inches annually. This 
lessens, to a small degree, going west until it reaches 26 inches 
annually on the western boundary of this section of the state. 
The average temperature at New Ulm, about the centre of this sec- 
tion, in 1906 was 47 degrees, which is the same as at Marshalltown, 
Iowa, located at or near the centre of that state, while the last killing 
frost was on the 7th day of May at New Ulm, and on the 9th day 
of May at Marshalltown. The first killing frost came to Marshall- 
town on October 1, 1906; and to New Ulm on October 6th. 

The climate, soil and rainfall being practically the same as north- 
ern Illinois and Iowa and southern Wisconsin, it necessarily follows 
the products must be the same. Up to a very late date the product 
of southern Minnesota was, to a large degree, wheat, because it was 
the easiest crop to produce, but like all other sections this began 
to run down in yield, and finally the chinch bug ravaged various 
counties. This was a blessing in disguise, for it compelled the 
farmers to diversify their products so that very many of the counties 
produced very little wheat, although by diversity they are again 
able to produce in many instances the old time yield of wheat. The 
products are now corn, barley, oats, wheat, flax, timothy, clover 
and other cultivated grasses, a large portion of which is fed to live 
stock and sold in the form of butter, beef and pork. This has been 
largely augmented by the immense yields of corn, as 75 bushels 
per acre is not uncommon, and many of the counties in southern 
Minnesota produce upwards of one million bushels annually. 



MINNESOTA 



5 



Fruit, and particularly apples, has been an important crop, so 
that now no farm home is complete without a large orchard. No 
better demonstration of the growth of this industry can be given 
than the records of Fillmore county, which shipped 12,840 barrels 
of apples out of the county during the season of 1907. 

Notwithstanding the immense possibilities and opportunities 
in this section of Minnesota, to secure improved farm lands which 
are yet cheap, the homeseeker has passed over this region and gone 
hundreds of miles farther west away from civilization, rainfall, 
schools, churches and markets, and in some instances paid more 
for wild lands Hian he could buy improved farms for in southern 
Minnesota. If the homeseeker will deduct the value of the im- 
provements from the selling price of the land, he will find that the 
land without improvements will have been reduced in many cases 
to less than $20 per acre. 

A crop failure was never known in Minnesota, and this, coupled 
with her fertile soil, healthful climate, pure water, schools, churches 
and markets, makes it an ideal spot for a man with a family who 
desires to purchase an improved farm that will double in value in 
ten years. 

NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA. 

Northeastern Minnesota was originally covered with a dense 
growth of timber of all varieties on the uplands, while frequent lakes 
and streams served to beautify this district to such an extent that 
it has been termed the "Park Region." This region may be fairly 
sub-divided into three divisions of agricultural land, viz., pine land, 
hardwood and other varieties such as grow on high land, and swamp 
land. 

A small portion of northern Minnesota was once covered with 
a large growth of pine which has been cut over by the lumbermen. 
The land left, or commonly termed cut-over land, may be of va- 
rious qualities, ranging from sandy to almost a heavy clay. This 
land located in the northern climate with abundance of rainfall is 
capable of being brought to a high productive value, particularly ■ 
in the production of root crops and grasses. Where the pine was 
heavy, the remnant of the stumps is the most serious obstruction, 
although with the use of dynamite and the modern machinery, this 
is by no means as serious as it was in an early day. Of course it 
does not follow that the stumps must all be removed to commence 
cultivation, as many good fields are found before any stumps have 
been taken out. Farming, and particularly grazing, can be car- 
ried on successfully, and the stumps removed at the pleasure of the 
owner. 

The soil whose surface was covered with timber, such as maple, 
birch, basswood, poplar, and similar varieties, is almost without 
exception heavy soil with a covering varying in depth of decayed 



MINNESOTA 



7 



vegetable mold. The trees are easily removed, and in many in- 
stances the wood taken therefrom not only pays for the clearing, 
but pays for the land. These trees are cut even or below the surface, 
thus giving the settler an opportunity to till the soil by means of a 
bog plow without waiting for the roots to be removed, which can be 
done from four to six years, when they will have become so much 
decayed that their removal is an easy matter. The settler in this 
region can invariably build his farm buildings with no greater out- 
lay than his own labor, as the land supplies the timber for the cutting. 

The swamp lands, of which Northern Minnesota has about seven 
million acres, are either meadow lands or covered with tamarack, 
spruce and cedar, which is in big demand for ties, poles, wood, pulp- 
wood, etc., and finds a ready market at the nearest railroad station. 
This land when drained is transformed into the richest agricultural 
land in the nation. It has a covering of vegetable decay ranging 
from two to eight feet in depth and resting on a bed of clay. When 
the water channels or ditches are opened this land is porous enough to 
give complete and rapid drainage, and millions of acres that were 
once considered worthless are being transformed into fertile fields 
and happy homes. 

Land may be had in the northern district from $5.00 per acre 
upwards, and is undeniably the cheapest land in America, consider- 
ing the productive value. 

This region is destined to lead all others in stock raising and 
dairy products because of its grasses. Timothy and clover grow 
wild in such abundance that it is claimed by experts that one acre 
of grass in northern Minnesota will pasture from one to one-half 
head during the season. It will therefore be seen as to what 
will be the destiny of this as yet unknown and undeveloped region, 
when we consider that it takes two acres of land to pasture a 
cow in the old prairie sections where land values range from $100 
to $200 per acre. 

The reader cannot do better than take a trip into northern Min- 
nesota and investigate for himself, for there will be found the greatest 
possibilities known to the world. If the reader has travelled through 
southern Michigan and northern Indiana when that district was in 
its virgin state, he will have seen a duplicate of what northern Min- 
nesota is today, and by comparison form a perfect conception of what 
it' is destined to become. 

NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA. 

Northwestern Minnesota, or the region known as the Red River 
Valley, is a district in a class by itself. With richness unequalled 
by any district in the world, unless it be the Valley of the Nile, it 
forms the western part of the state north of Big Stone lake, and is a 
very level prairie with the richest and blackest of soil running to 



s 



MINNESOTA 



a great depth. It is drained to the north by the Red River which 
forms the boundary between Minnesota and North Dakota. The 
settlement of the Red River Valley may fairly be said to have begun 
after the Indian outbreak of '62, as this district was practically aban- 
doned because of this. Ever since that time it has been known for 
its production of Minnesota hard wheat. The productiveness of 
the soil can be better appreciated when it is known that some fields 
have produced wheat crops consecutively for periods of 25 years, 
and still continue to yield well. It is only of late years that the 
farmers are diversifying their products, as the yields of wheat, flax, 
oats and barley crops are so abundant and profitable that the farmers 
have not felt the need for any other products. 

Like all other regions devoted exclusively to cereal crops, it be- 
came necessary to change, and live stock and dairying are now fast 
becoming the business of the Red River farmers. Their fertile 
soils and pure waters yield a bountiful store of grasses so that where 
once the grain fields alone could be seen, the fields are now covered 
with splendid herds of beef and dairy cattle. 

Root crops grow abundantly, and potatoes are being shipped by 
the trainloads. One farmer in Clay county raises upwards of 30,000 
bushels annually. With the modern planting and digging, this is 
becoming a remarkable crop. 

Land is still very cheap in this region. "Wild land can be had 
from $12.50 an acre, upwards, while improved farms can be pur- 
chased from $20 an acre, upwards, according to their improvements 
and proximity to markets. The entire district is well improved, 
with churches, schools, etc., and thriving cities, towns and villages 
have sprung up where but a few years ago might be seen the home 
of the Redman. 

The man who tills the soil is the only creator of wealth. It will 
therefore be seen, when you note the rapidity of growth that has 
marked the agricultural development of Minnesota, that a great mar- 
ket is being formed for the manufactured goods by the increasing 
products of the farm. This opens a channel for all branches of in- 
dustry. Minnesota wants men in all walks of life who are willing 
to work, and to all such she offers the glad hand of friendship and 
bids you a hearty welcome ; and we have no hesitation in saying that 
she offers the best inducements to men of this character. 

For further information address 

GEORGE WELSH, 
Commissioner of Immigration, 

State Capitol, St. Paul, Minn. 



Agriculture In Minnesota 

By Prof. Thos. Shaw. 



The ideas cherished regarding the agricultural capabilities of the 
state by those who have not made themselves familiar with these, are 
misleading. The state is looked upon as only adapted to the grow- 
ing of wheat and other kinds of grain, such as furnish food for live 
stock. It is supposed to be too far north to grow fruit with any de- 
gree of success, or even to produce live stock and live stock products 
as profitably as they can be produced further south. The climate 
is believed to be so austere that the winters make life, in a sense, a 
burden. The northern areas are believed to be only fit for the pro- 
duction of trees, and the cut-over lands are believed to be wholly 
unsuited to furnishing desirable homes for settlers. In discussing 
this problem the aim will be to remove such misconception by stat- 
ing facts as they are. It will be the further aim to show the almost 
unlimited room that yet exists for home building within the borders 
of the state. 

THE WHEAT CROP IN MINNESOTA. 

Minnesota grew 5,356,000 acres of wheat in 1908, which gave her 
third place in the total acreage grown in that year among the states 
of the Union, and second place in the acreage of spring wheat grown. 
The average of production is given as 12.8 bushels per acre in a state 
that in the earlier years of settlement grew 20 to 25 bushels per acre 
on an average. The farmers are inclined to attribute the change 
to a change in the character of the seasons. That is not the real 
cause, for seasons with some slight modifications are like the brooks, 
they go on forever. The reduced yields are rather to be attributed 
to the style of the farming followed. It is the outcome of long, 
continued cropping without change ; of carelessness in the selection 
and preparation of seed, and of increase in certain fungous diseases 
that may be held in check, as for instance, smut. 

That Minnesota may continue to hold a foremost place in the 
growing of wheat need not be questioned. The adaptation of both 
soil and climate have been abundantly proved. The conditions that 
grew large crops in the early years of settlement have but to be ap- 
proximated, and these will be grown again. That this conclusion 
is reasonable finds support in what has already been achieved in Great 
Britain where wheat has been grown for centuries. The average 



10 



AGRICULTURE 



yield in England is more than 30 bushels per acre. The average 
in Scotland, with a comparatively sterile soil, has exceeded 40 bushels 
per year in one season. The natural conditions for growing wheat 
far exceed those of Great Britain. Why, then, should it not be 
possible to grow wheat in even larger volume than at present and on 
about half the area? 

The indications point to the fact that some winter wheat will 
yet be grown in the state. It has been grown in a few instances on 
the same farms for a score of years and with encouraging success. 
During recent years it has been grown successfully as far north as the 
most northerly counties of the Red River Valley, and it gave yields 
exceeding 20 bushels per acre. 

Macaroni wheat will give good yields in any part of the state. 
This is not mentioned to indicate that it should be made to substi- 
tute the other milling varieties, but to supplement them because of 
large yields. For this reason also it ought to be grown along with 
oats or other grains to provide food for live stock in the form known 
as succotash. When grown with oats, for instance, equal quantities 
being used, the result is a mixture of which about onerthird is wheat 
and two-thirds oats, and the yield in pounds will considerably exceed 
that of other grains sown alone. The mixture furnishes a food that 
is almost in perfect balance for nearly all classes of stock grown on 
the farm, and for stock of nearly all ages. In localities where the 
straw lodges, if speltz or even spring rye is substituted for a part of 
the oats, this will materially aid in preventing such lodging. 

THE OAT CROP IN MINNESOTA. 

Minnesota grew 2,215,728 acres of oats in 1906. The average 
yield per acre was 32.5 bushels. This average may be greatly in- 
creased by better methods of tillage. The comparatively cool nights, 
when the oat crop is maturing, results in the filling of the grain in a 
way to produce large yields. In no country with warm nights can 
the oat crop be made to yield as it does in areas where the filling ot 
the grain is slow. The enormous yields of oats in the plateaus of 
the mountain states is a result of the slow filling of the grain conse- 
quent to the low temperatures which prevail. 

The great value of the oat crop in feeding live stock has never 
been realized as it ought to be. No grain food has been found more 
suitable, or even as suitable, to the needs of horses as oats. No 
grain food will produce more milk, pound for pound, when fed to 
dairy cows. No grain is better for fattening sheep, when fed singly, 
than oats. No grain is better for brood sows in winter and when 
suckling their young, and no grain will equal oats in suitability for 
feeding to calves. Because of this, this state, possessed of high 
adaptation for growing oats, will always stand on a high vantage 
ground in producing live stock. 



AGRICULTURE 



12 



AGRICULTURE 



The average yield of oats in Minnesota, like that of wheat, can 
be greatly increased by better tillage. Heretofore the oat crop has 
usually been sown on the poorest and foulest land. Because this 
crop has greater power than wheat to grow under adverse conditions, 
it has been allowed to do so, and this common practice has greatly 
lowered the average yields. 

In the southern counties the oat crop is much grown in conjunc- 
tion with a large area devoted to the growth of corn. Where this 
style of farming is followed, these crops are usually alternated with 
clover, and as a result, the farms produce meat or milk, or both, ac- 
cording to the desire of those who till them. 

THE BARLEY AND RYE CROPS. 

The area devoted to the growth of barley in the state in 1906 was 
1,128,265 acres. The average yield is set down as 28 bushels per 
acre. Careful farming would increase the yield from 25 to 50 per 
cent. The room then for increase in the growth of the barley crop 
will be very apparent from what has just been stated, and it will 
be more apparent when it is borne in mind that more than half of 
the tillable land in the state has never been broken with the plough. 

The barley crop is sometimes a source of much revenue when sold 
directly. The past year many farmers are getting a return of $20 to $30 
per acre for their barley crop, but that is exceptional, owing to the 
abnormally high prices of the last season. But excellent returns 
may be obtained any season from feeding barley to milch cows, and 
to swine. The principal food grown for feeding live stock in Den- 
mark is barley. It is also the principal concentrate used in mak- 
ing that high-class bacon for which Denmark has become so famous. 

The barley crop in Minnesota, and in all the Northwest, may 
also be made to render excellent service in fighting weeds in centers 
where grain is much grown. This arises from the comparatively 
late season at which it may be sown, and the shortness of the period 
called for to enable it to reach maturity. In Northwestern Min- 
nesota it may be sown late in May, and still produce an excellent 
return. In some instances it has been matured in 70 days from the 
date of sowing. This makes it quite practicable to allow the weeds 
to start well before the ground is ploughed in the spring for barley. 
It enables the farmer to plough at a season after the other grain has 
been sown, and because of the quick growth and maturing of the bar- 
ley, but few weeds growing in the same would have time to mature 
their seeds before the barley is harvested. No sooner is it harvested 
than all weeds growing in it may be buried with the plough, or grazed 
down by sheep, hence the great value of the barley crop as a factor in 
weed eradication. This can not be done to anything like the same ex- 
tent in other areas east and south, because of the necessity for sowing 
the barley early and because of the longer time which is called for in 



AGRICULTURE 



13 



maturing it. Minnesota has peculiarly favorable conditions for the 
growing of barley. Minnesota has special adaptation for growing 
rye, either for the grain or for pasture. Not much attention, how- 
ever, has been given to growing it. In 1906 the rye crop covered 
88,448 acres, and the average yield was 19.3 bushels per acre. All 
the figures given above, with reference to the crops, are taken from 
the year book of the United States Department of Agriculture. 

THE FLAX CHOP. 

The flax crop in Minnesota is second in the sisterhood of states. 
In 1906 the area in flax was 431,048 acres, and the average yield per 
acre, 11 bushels. It would probably be correct to say that the prairie 
lands are highest in relative adaptation for the growing of flax, but 
there is no county in the state in portions of which the flax may not 
be grown in good form. As high as 20 bushels has been obtained per 
acre. In many instances the first crop of flax grown on the land has 
paid for the land. With due care in the selection of seed, good crops 
of flax will doubtless be grown in the state through all time. 

Heretofore but little use has been made of the straw. This, 
however, is likely to change in all parts of the state. Plants are 
now being established which purchase the entire crop. They sepa- 
rate the grain from the straw and make the latter into binding twine. 
This of course adds much to the value of the crop. It will also 
result in growing better crops, as the grower must give attention to 
the production of straw which reaches a greater height than was 
usually common in the growing of flax. The better cultivation called 
for to accomplish this will also result in improved yields. 

The great advantage of the flax crop in connection with the grow- 
ing of live stock cannot be easily overestimated. Minnesota is 
at the present time the center of the manufacture of oil cake, and so 
it is likely to continue. This means that oil cake will be more easily 
obtainable by the farmers of Minnesota than by those of other states 
for stock-feeding purposes. 

The regrettable feature of the trade in oil cake at the present 
time lies in the fact that nearly all of the output from the Minnesota 
oil mills goes across the Atlantic to European feeders of live stock. 
When Minnesota comes to use this product, as it ought to be used, 
no state in the Union can stand up before this state in the produc- 
tion of live stock, and live stock products. No kind of stock is kept 
upon the farm which will not receive substantial benefit from feed- 
ing it a certain proportion of oil cake from day to day, at least when 
on dry feed. 

THE PEA CROP. 

Field Peas have been but little grown in Minnesota, and yet it is 
entirely practicable to grow them in fine form. Although they have 
not yet been grown at all extensively, enough have been grown to 



1.4 



AGRICULTURE 




AGRICULTURE 



15 



prove the high adaptation which the state has for growing this crop. 
The adaptation is even higher, relatively, in the forest than in the 
prairie areas, as in the latter there is sometimes an excessive growth 
of vines. 

The growth of peas in Minnesota has been hindered, first by 
absence of suitable machinery for harvesting them, and second, 
by the little need heretofore felt for introducing the crop. Pea har- 
vesters have not been introduced into the state and harvesting the 
crop by hand is very tedious. 

In "Wisconsin peas are extensively grown for canning over wide 
areas. The vines are made into ensilage which furnishes a most ex- 
cellent food for dairy and other cattle in winter. The conditions are 
equally good for growing peas in northern Minnesota, hence there are 
no good reasons why the same industry could not flourish over much 
of that area. 

Peas are also especially adapted to the growing of that class 
of pork known as bacon, which already sells for higher price than 
pork of the other class. The demand for it will be still greater in 
the future. Because of the demand for bacon in the English market. 
Canada has become a bacon-producing country and the conditions 
for growing bacon are as good in Minnesota as in any part of Canada. 

The pea crop is also like clover an enricher of the soil. A crop 
of peas growing on a piece of land leaves it richer in nitrogen, the 
most important element of plant food, than it was before the crop 
was grown. The straw from a crop of peas when well saved is about 
equal in feeding value, or nearly so, with that of a crop of clover, 
especially when given to sheep. The advantage to any state that 
can thus grow Canada field peas is very evident. It is only in north- 
ern states, or on elevated areas in other states, that they can be suc- 
cessfully grown. 

THE CORN CROP. 

In no respect is Minnesota so much misunderstood as with refer- 
ence to her ability to grow corn. Minnesota is not looked upon as 
a corn state, and yet but few states can grow corn better than it is 
grown over the southern half of Minnesota. The acreage of corn in 
1906 was 1,492,536 acres, against an acreage of wheat of 5,119,412 
acres. Of oats, 2,215,728 acres; of barley, 1,128,265 acres, and of 
rye, 88,448 acres. The average yield per acre was 33.6 bushels as 
against an average in Illinois of 36.1 bushels, and in Iowa, of 39.5 
bushels. Which state in all the Union can make a better showing, 
with reference to diversity in these lines of production, and yet not 
nearly half of the land in Minnesota has ever been touched with the 
plough ? Those states are fortunate which have pre-eminent adapta- 
tion for growing corn, but the ability to grow corn well is not equal to 
the ability to grow good crops of both corn and wheat. Over the 
southern half of Minnesota corn is grown almost as freely as in north- 



16 



AGRICULTURE 



em Iowa. Why should it not be thus? The mean summer tempera- 
tures are nearly the same, the soil is very similar. The chief differ- 
ence is that the season for growing corn in Iowa is a little longer 
than in Minnesota, this means that in Minnesota varieties are grown 
which mature in a shorter time than is called for in the states of the 
corn-belt proper. This does not mean the decreased yields, as the 
somewhat smaller varieties grown in Minnesota may be grown more 
closely than those in the corn-belt. The average yield of corn in the 
state differs but little from the averages in the states of the corn- 
belt. 

But it is not to be understood that the growing of corn is by 
any means confined to southern Minnesota. There is not a single 
county in the state in which some varieties of field corn will not 
mature. In some of the northerly counties of the Red River Val- 
ley such varieties as the Northwestern Dent are matured every sea- 
son, and larger varieties are grown for the silo. In many of the 
Counties north of the latitude of St. Paul, that is, north of the parallel 
df 45 degrees, the finest crops of corn are grown every year. The 
increment of sand, mixed with the clay in those soils, makes a rela- 
tively early and rapid growth in the crops planted on them. 

The corn crop in several counties of the state is the largest sin- 
gle crop grown, and the area gro wn is rapidly extending in many parts 
of the same. In the southern half of the state it is chiefly grown for 
the grain as in the corn-belt. Farther north it is more commonly 
grown for the grain and fodder combined. Much of it is fed in the 
bundle. Stxme varieties are grown to produce food for swine or 
lambs, being fed off when matured by one or the other of these classes 
of farm animals. In any part of the state corn may be readily grown 
for the silo. A wide door also stands open for growing sweet corn 
for canning. 

The growing of corn has been a great aid to the growing of wheat* 
Wheat following corn, properly cared, will yield 20 to 30% more than 
wheat following a grain crop. The explanation is found in the 
influence of the cultivation in the cleaning and impaction of the 
land. Wheat, or other grain, corn and clover, make a happy com- 
bination in farming. This combination may be the heritage of any 
Minnesota farmer. 

THE POTATO CROP. 

The growing of potatoes in the state may be made to assume 
enormous proportions. There is no part of the state in which pota- 
toes may not be grown with much success, except in those areas not 
yet sufficiently drained. The free working soil has high adaptation 
for growing potatoes, and the climate is as suitable as the soil. As 
a result of this happy combination it has been found that potatoes 
may be grown indefinitely without deterioration when proper care is 
exercised with reference to selecting the seed and growing the crop 



AGRICULTURE 



17 



by correct methods. This cannot be done in warm climates because 
of the quick deterioration that takes place in varieties when grown 
in these. Great quantities of potatoes are shipped southward every 
year and such shipments may be expected to increase with a constant- 
ly increasing population. 

Notwithstanding that potatoes grow well in every county in the 
state, in some counties the adaptation is higher than in others. This 
is true of those counties in which the soil is more or less sandy in tex- 
ture. The yields in these are not only excellent, but the quality 
of the potatoes is superb. In several of those counties virgin lands 
can be obtained from $10 to $20 per acre. These same lands have 
high adaptation to the growing of clover, hence the soil may be easily 
kept in excellent condition for growing potatoes. In some of the 
northern counties the quality of the potatoes is particularly excellent. 
They are characterized by such smoothness as is seldom found in 
potatoes. 

Potatoes have been but little attacked by diseases in Minnesota. 
Of course the Colorado beetle is present in the state, as it is in all 
states, and the scab affects the crop more or less, but blight, which 
has proved so destructive in the central and eastern states, is not 
as yet much known. In many areas of Minnesota land can be obtain- 
ed at the present time which would produce potatoes that would sell 
at a profit that would pay for the land in a single crop. Two crops 
well managed would pay for the land and also for grubbing the same. 

THE CLOVER CROP. 

The story of the clover plant in Minnesota sounds more lik** 
fable than truth. Her first settlers in southern Minnesota believed 
for a time that they could not grow clover successfully, a belief that 
was based on the lack of success in the first attempts to grow it, a 
result that was doubtless due to the want of the proper clover bacte- 
ria in the soil. The finest crops of clover in several varieties have 
long since been grown upon these soils, and on the prairies of western 
Minnesota not a few of the grain-growing farmers are still of the opin- 
ion that they cannot succeed in growing clover. The reason for want 
of success is the same as in the former instance. Slowly, but surely, 
the growing of clover is extending every year. Her finest crops are 
now being grown all along the western side of the state in various 
centers, so that it is safe to predict that ere long not a farm will be 
found on which clover will not be grown. 

Adaptation for growing clover in the forest and park areas of the 
state is simply phenomenal, so much so, that if clover seed is scat- 
tered over the soil, under almost any condition, except that of watery 
saturation, it will begin to grow. Seed scattered in the shade of a 
grove, amid the brush of cut-over lands, or even among forest trees 
where the shade is not over-dense, will grow with much vigor in the 
plants. 



AGRICULTURE 



AGRICULTURE 



19 



Plants of the common red clover have been found more than eight 
feet high, and plants of alsike on the lowlands sometimes attain 
a length of five feet. On the red clay land contiguous to Duluth, 
enormous crops are grown, and in many of the gardens the clover 
plants are so numerous that they are classed as weeds in the same. 
This entire area, more than 200 miles long and 150 miles wide, has, 
during recent years been designated, and justly so, "The Land 
of Bed Clover. " It would be equally fitting to call it "The Land of 
Pink and White Clover." 

The way in which clover retains its hold on the soil in large areas 
of this state is remarkable. In some of the northern counties, red 
clover has been pastured for many successive years without any 
diminution in its growth. Instances are on record in which eight 
successive crops of red clover have been cut for hay along with tim- 
othy, and the last crop produced more clover than the first. As is 
generally known, red clover usually grows only for two years, even 
on the Red River Yalle}^ lands, five crops of clover and timothy have 
been grown in succession for hay, the last crop of which had in it 
more clover than the first. 

It will probably be found that Minnesota will yet become famous 
for the production of clover seed. Where the adaptation is so per- 
fect for the growth of the plants, it is reasonable to suppose that it 
would be equally high for the production of seed. This feature of 
clover growing has not yet been proved. Should the expectation with 
reference thereto be realized, it will add immensely to the profitable- 
ness of those clover-producing lands. The area for growing clover 
seed is becoming more and more hedged in by the ravages of the 
clover midge, which, so far as known to the writer, has not yet reach- 
ed the clover-growing areas of Minnesota. 

THE ALFALFA CROP. 

JLJut few attempts have been made to grow alfalfa in the state 
until recent years. The one exception is in the neighborhood of Lake 
Minnetonka where some German farmers have grown it, more or 
less, for many years. The variety grown there came originally from 
Norway, and it is proving more hardy than alfalfa from other sources. 
In some instances crops of alfalfa have been cut for more than a dozen 
years on the same land. 

Recent experiments in growing alfalfa have shown that in many 
portions of the state it can be grown with much success. It would 
not be claiming too much to say that every county in the state has 
large areas that are highly favorable for the growing of alfalfa. The 
upland subsoils of the state are usually clay, or clay mingled with 
gravel. Wherever these subsoils are found, alfalfa will yet come 
to be grown, but it may be necessary in some instances to first intro- 
duce the requisite bacteria essential to growing it successfully. In 



20 



AGRICULTURE 



the park and forest areas of the state, such inoculation is not neces- 
sary. An excellent stand may usually be obtained in these from 
the first sowing when it is properly sown. 

Of course in a state in which the clovers grow so well, the ad- 
vantages for growing alfalfa are not so great as where it is the chief 
resource for roughage.* But diversity in production should in all 
instances be prized where such diversity is possible. It makes the 
production just so much surer. Alfalfa will produce better in dry 
seasons than clover, and it does not need to be renewed so frequently. 
But clover is of course a better rotation plant. 

The advantage to Minnesota in growing clover and alfalfa so 
well cannot be easily overestimated, as these crops have so im- 
portant a bearing, first, on maintaining the nitrogen supply in the 
land; second, in maintaining vegetable matter in the soil; third, 
in providing fodder for live stock, the feeding value of which ranks 
high, and fourth, in providing an ample supply of nitrogenous fodder 
to balance the corn fodder now so extensively grown in the state. 

THE PASTURE CROP. 

The pasture crop in Minnesota is one of its best crops. In the 
central states, in a dry summer, the grasses become very dry and 
cease to grow, frequently for a period extending over many weeks. 
The grasses of the western ranges only grow for two or three months in 
the early part of the season for growth, and then cease to grow until 
the following year. But the grasses in Minnesota, especially in the 
park and forest areas, grow practically through all the season of 
growth. "When properly managed, they will furnish grazing for sheep 
from the beginning of April, onward, even in the northern part of 
the state, and for cattle from May 1st. The grazing period closes 
with the falling of snow, Which, in northern Minnesota, is about 
the middle of November. 

The variety of grasses that grow vigorously is large. Some 
native grasses, especially in the lowlands of the central part of the 
state, grow with much vigor. Such is blue joint, which follows 
tamarack in the swamps. But assuming that in time the native 
grasses will all perish, except redtop, which is probably true, the tame 
grasses that supersede them will be the envy of many other states. 
Kentucky bluegrass will grow more vigorously in northern Minnesota 
than in Kentucky. Eedtop on the lowlands is green all the summer. 
Timothy will furnish pasture from spring to autumn. But clover is 
the marvelous pasture crop of the state. In Northern Minne- 
sota are lands on which clover has been cut for many years, as many 
as seven or eight, and pastured every autumn, and yet the clover has 
continued to increase in the pastures. Where in all the United 
States, save in lands that lie under the south shore of Lake Superior, 
can a parallel be found in growing clover? 



AGRICULTURE 



21 



The value of these pasture crops cannot be overestimated, whether 
viewed from the standpoint of the dairy, from that of meat mak- 
ing, or from the standpoint of keeping up the supply of humus in 
the soil. These pasture crops may be obtained from lands as soon 
as the trees and brush are cut away, and seed is grown. 

THE ROOT CROP. 

The root crop in Minnesota will be one of our most valuable crops 
in the not-distant future. In natural adaptation to the growth 
of field roots, the state ranks high. This adaptation applies to 
all kinds of field roots, as rutabagas, turnips, mangels, sugar beets 
and carrots, and even parsnips. Both soil and climate conditions 
are peculiarly favorable to the growth of these. They furnish a 
high per cent of sugar. 

The value of the root crop to any state that engages extensively 
in the growing of live stock, cannot easily be overestimated. The 
supremacy of Great Britain in growing live stock in recent centuries 
arises largely from the succulent food which is fed to it, and this 
largely furnished by field roots. The excellence of the live stock 
grown in Ontario is largely due to the same cause. The conditions 
for growing field roots in this state are at least as good as those in On- 
tario. 

To grow rutabagas and turnips in good form calls for climatic 
conditions that are only found in northern states, and the Canadian 
provinces north of these. The exceptions are elevated areas, as the 
table lands of the mountain states. These crops will not flourish 
where the midsummer heat runs high for weeks in succession. They 
grow best in weather reasonably cool. 

The amount of food that may be grown on an acre of field roots 
well cared for is enormous. The roots alone without the tops should 
weigh from ten to twenty tons per acre. The only crop grown in the 
state that produces more food per acre, viewed from a standpoint of 
dry matter, is corn, and yet, viewed from the standpoint of value, 
the roots may be more valuable than the corn. They exercise an 
influence on the digestion that is favorable. When fed with other 
foods, therefore, more benefit will follow than if these were not fed. 

THE RAPE CROP. 

This wonderful pasture plant is of comparatively recent intro- 
duction into the United States ; as is now generally known it is a pas- 
ture plant, the growth of which, since its introduction, has become 
of national importance. An acre of rape pasture will fatten from 
ten to fifteen sheep, or well-grown lambs, in the space of two months' 
time, and without the aid of a supplementary ration of grain. The 
adaptation for growing this crop in the state is of the best. In 
Ontario, where rape is much grown, it is usual to cultivate it, but in 
this state, so high is the adaptation for this plant, that good crops 



22 



AGRICULTURE 




AGRICULTURE 



23 



are grown by simply sowing the seed broadcast. The influence of 
the plant on the future development of the sheep industry in the 
state cannot be easily overestimated. 

The practice has become common during recent years to sow 
one pound of rape seed along with each acre of grain sown. The 
rape usually does not hinder the growth of the grain. When the grain 
has been harvested the rape will then make a strong growth unless 
the weather is very dry, and as a result much pasture is produced. 
Some farmers have, during recent years, sown rape seed along with 
much of the grain on their farms. They have then gone abroad in 
the state and purchased lambs, or have obtained them from the stock- 
yards or the ranges, and in nearly all instances they have realized 
much profit. 

THE SUGAR BEET CROP. 

The sugar beet industry has only recently obtained a foothold 
in the state. A few years ago, a factory established at St. Louis 
Park was lost by fire. During the past two years the Carver Coun- 
ty Sugar Company has been operating a factory at Chaska. This 
factory has a capacity for manufacturing the products from the beets 
that grow on 5,000 acres of land. It pays the farmer $5.00 per ton 
for the beets at the factory. The yield per acre runs from, say 8 
to 15 tons, and with skilled growers it may be brought up to 20 tons. 

The crop may be cared for, after it is planted, for $20 an acre, 
by contract labor, which includes harvesting. "When the work is 
all done by the farmer and his family, the money received is clear 
gain. Suppose a farmer only grows 10 tons per acre, the return 
for the same is $50.00. 

There are many advantages which come from this industry. 
The tops and the part of the root to which they adhere are worth 
several dollars per acre to the farmer, if judiciously fed. He can 
draw home pulp when he is, hauling his beets which he can get for 
25 cents a ton. This he can put into a silo for future feeding. For 
many kinds of feeding the pulp is as valuable as the beets before the 
sugar was extracted from them. From the waste, lime is made, a 
valuable product used in paving. From the molasses is made alco- 
hol, which contributes largely to the internal revenue tax, and this 
product is also largely fed to cattle. The benefit to other crops 
grown in the rotation goes far to pay the cost of growing the beets, 
where the rotation is judiciously planned. 

In Michigan 99,000 acres of beets were grown in 1906. The cash 
paid to the farmers directly for the beets was $4,750,000. The 
industry that year was worth to the state, $8,000,000. Minnesota 
has millions of acres of land highly adapted to the growth of sugar 
beets. The reference here is to a clay loam soil, with a nice sprink- 
ling of sand in it, and lying on an open clay subsoil. Now suppose 
the industry should expand so that 500,000 acres of beets should be 



24 



AGRICULTURE 




Aj load of mangels grown at the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Sta- 
tion in 1906. On a three-acre field plowed fall and spring and manured at 
the rate of sixteen tons per acre, a yield of 32% tons per acre was secured. 
The total cost of production, including land rental and machinery deprecia- 
tion, was $32.79 per acre, or $1.01 per ton. 




A Sugar Beet Field. 



AGRICULTURE 



25 



grown in a year, on the basis paid in 1906 to the Michigan farmers, 
there would be paid to Minnesota farmers for growing beets, nearly 
$24,000,000 in a single year, to say nothing of the thousands and 
thousands who would be employed in manufacturing the beets, and 
the by-products other than sugar. 

For the successful prosecution of this industry, only small farms 
would be wanted, and these would bring with them all the benefits 
which come from an intensive cultivation. 

This wonderful plant will grow well on any soil in Minnesota, but 
it grows especially well on the black loam soils of the prairie. It 
will grow best of all on the muck soils of the swamps when these are 
re-claimed, and the work of re-claiming them is now being pushed 
rapidly forward. It may be sown any time from the opening of 
spring onward that will give it from 60 to 75 days in which to grow, 
and it will furnish pasture to any kind of stock, save dairy cows. 

FRUITS THAT MAY BE GROWN. 

Many outside of the state cherish the view that little or no fruit 
can be grown in Minnesota. A glance at the great display of fruit 
made at the State Pair every autumn will dispel such a view. The 
exhibit of apples, especially, also plums, is seldom excelled by that 
made in other states. Several varieties of grapes are regularly grown. 
And for growing small fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, cur- 
rants and gooseberries, it cannot be easily excelled. It should be 
said, however, that the growing of peaches, pears and cherries has 
not as yet proved a decided success. It is also fair to state that 
the hardy varieties of apples only are grown, but the number of these, 
now looked upon as standards, is very large. 

The farmer who locates in Minnesota can supply himself abund- 
antly with all the fruit that his family can take care of. He can do this 
within the limit of a small piece of ground, as the fruit bears early 
in the state, that is, they begin to bear while the trees are yet quite 
young, and they bear heavily. This is a characteristic of fruits on 
western soils. It should also be mentioned that many of the diseases 
and insect pests, which harass fruit growers in the east, are unknown, 
or but little known, in Minnesota. But trees do suffer in some in- 
stances from sunscald in the trunk, when pushed ahead too quick- 
ly and then left unprotected. 

Minnesota will never be a fruit state, of course, in the sense that 
Oregon and several other states are, but to show the extent to which 
fruit is now being grown in the state, it may well; be mentioned that 
Minnesota has a horticultural society with a membership of more 
than two thousand; that is a larger membership than is possessed 
by any other horticultural society in any state of the Union. No 
year passes without some new variety being added to the list of 
fruit grown. 



20 



AGRICULTURE 



THE PRODUCTION OF VEGETABLES. 

For growing vegetables, Minnesota is a veritable paradise. The 
extent to which vegetables may be grown on a small piece of ground, 
and the rapidity of the growth, has surprised those not accustomed 
to seeing it. In a garden in St. Anthony Park, the writer grew 
three crops of vegetables in succession, on the same land in one 
season. This could only be possible in a summer climate of relative- 
ly short duration where the growth is very rapid. This rapid growth 
is the outcome, first, of a free-working soil ; second, of a reasonably 
porous subsoil ; and third of the long, bright summer days that char- 
acterize the climate at that season. 

The quality of the vegetables is superior, high quality in these, 
and rapid growth usually go together. Where growth is slow in 
vegetables, they possess a toughness of fibre that increases with the 
increase in duration in growth. When vegetables grow rapidly 
they are crisp, tender and properly flavored. 

The variety of vegetables that may be grown is in keeping with 
the excellence of those grown. It includes nearly all the valuable 
sorts that are used in the temperate zone. Tomatoes may be made 
to ripen in any part of the state when planted out at the proper 
time. The facilities for growing celery of high quality are unusually 
good, because of the large area of the muck soils possessed by the 
state. In the growth of this one plant there is room for at least a 
small army of growers. 

It is very evident, from what has been said, that the farmer who 
locates in this state may raise his entire living on his farm with the 
exception of such groceries as he may need. His bread, meat, 
eggs, fruits and vegetables may all come from his own land. Could 
this thought be duly impressed on the thousands in the city who 
struggle from day to day for the food of sustenance, there would be 
no unoccupied land in Minnesota. 

THE AREA YET UNOCCUPIED. 

The amount of land not yet occupied, in the sense of farming it, 
cannot be accurately given, for the reason that statistics have 
not been furnished with reference thereto. The land is practically 
all owned by private individuals, unless it be the considerable areas 
of school lands yet unsold, but it would doubtless be correct to say 
that not more than half the land in Minnesota is now devoted to 
farming uses. This means that Minnesota' could still furnish farms 
for more than 150,000 families, each containing 160 acres of land, 
since the land surface covers more than 50,000,000 acres. 

That so much land, suitable for making good homes and so near 
metropolitan cities, should remain unfarmed, until this late date, 
is one of the remarkable results growing out of the homeseeking 



AGRICULTURE 



27 



movement. That 150,000 homeseekers should pass this area by 
without examining its. resources, and go on hundreds of miles west- 
ward to the unprotected prairie, or hundreds of miles northward to 
live under another nag, will seem unaccountably strange to those who 
may not know the reasons. 

Several reasons may be given by way of explanation : First, the 
state did not advertise its lands as the states to the west and the 
Canadian provinces to the north have advertised theirs. In fact, 
until quite recently the state has taken no measure to advertise its 
lands ; second, the homeseeker could find lands on the open prairie 
that could be broken with the plough, while the Minnesota lands 
must be cleared before they could be ploughed. The immediate 
advantage, therefore, appealed to the settlers, who did not, at the 
same time, weigh the disadvantages coming from such settlement in 
the forms of exposure to bleak winter winds, distance from markets, 
and lack of rainfall. Third, misconception existed in the minds 
of intending settlers regarding the clearing of Minnesota lands. 
They did not know that an excellent pasture crop could be obtained 
on these lands as soon as the rubbish on the surface had been removed 
by fire, or otherwise, leaving nature to do the grubbing through 
processes of decay. How could .they know this? No one had 
told them. 

LOW AVERAGE OF THE CROP YIELDS. 

Compared with the other states, the average yields of farm crops 
in the state are not low. Viewed from the standpoint of the results 
that would be obtained from good farming, they are regretfully low. 
That the average of production in wheat, for instance, is not more 
than 12.96 bushels per acre — the average for the past ten years — 
is a stigma on the farming of a state possessed of the highest adapta- 
tion for growing wheat. The same is true of other lines of produc- 
tion. The reputation of the state has suffered greatly at the hands 
of those who have tilled her soils. 

The reasons for the relatively low yields are various: First, 
much of the land, though easily drained, at least over wide areas, 
is imperfectly drained. From lack of drainage, crops have suffered 
much because of the unusual rainfall of recent years. Second, 
the incessant cropping to which the lands have been subjected have 
tended continuously to reduce the yields. But little attention has 
been given to fertilization in any form. But it must not be understood 
that, though long abused, the fertility of the lands is exhausted. 
The one-crop system has resulted in a great growth of weeds, and 
these seriously interfere with the growth of crops. In fact, the 
farming, as a whole, has been deplorably bad. "With some excep- 
tions it cannot be defended. It is without any justification. Third, 
but little live stock has been kept upon the farms. Because of this 



28 



AGRICULTURE 



but little tame- grass, relatively, has been grown, and as a result, the 
land has been deprived of its supply of humus. The suicidal policy 
pursued, with reference to depleting the land of its fertility, will 
be readily apparent by a comparison of the acreage devoted to the 
growing of grain, as compared with the acreage devoted to the grow- 
ing of cultivated grasses, the crop used chiefly in keeping up the 
supply of humus in the soil. Redwood county is, in this respect, 
representative. In 1906 the acreage in wheat in Redwood county 
was 164,508 acres; oats, 29,601 acres; corn, 33,696 acres ; barley, 10,011 
acres; rye, 640 acres; flax, 10,907 acres, and buckwheat, 95 acres, 
or a total of 249,458 acres. The total area in tame grasses, includ- 
ing clover, was 5,729 acres. Under such conditions soil depletion 
must follow. 

THE SLOW DECAY OF MANURES. 

The difference in the time called for in the decay of manures and 
vegetable matter, generally, in Minnesota as compared with the same 
in states where the rainfall is greater, and the climate is also milder, 
is very marked. On the Atlantic seaboard, and also on the Pacific 
coast, the manures buried in the soil one year show comparatively 
little residue left at the end. of the season. The residue not utilized 
by the crop leaches out so quickly that much of it is gone before the 
next crop is sown. The rapidity of the decay, and the abundant 
rainfall, allows the nitrates, formed from the fertilizer, to leach down 
into the subsoil so that it goes off in the drainage water. The effects 
of the same fertilizer applied on lands in Minnesota will be seen from 
three to five years subsequently. This is owing chiefly to some 
quality in the air which makes the decay of vegetable matter slow in 
the soil. It is the same principle that makes it possible for the In- 
dians in Montana to expose bodies in elevated open burial, where 
they are preserved for long periods. In this fact is found one reason 
for the great richness of the average soil in the northwestern prairies. 
The value of this asset of nature to Minnesota cannot be over-esti- 
mated. It is one that will stand the state in good stead through all 
time. It means that Minnesota soils, properly tilled, will not call * 
for artificial fertilizers to maintain productiveness in them to any- 
thing like the same extent as soils where the rainfall is heavy and the 
temperature is comparatively high. 

It has been objected that the decay of vegetable matter in Minne- 
sota has been so slow that in dry years the application of farmyard 
fertilizers has hindered the growth of the crop that immediately 
followed such application. This result may be avoided by apply- 
ing the fertilizer in moderate quantities, and more especially by ap- 
plying it on grass lands on the surface in the form of a mulch. The 
value of this asset to Minnesota farming cannot easily be over- 
estimated, for it is one that is held in perpetuity. 



AGRICULTURE 



29 



THE LOW PRICE OF LANDS. 

Relatively the prices of lands in Minnesota are low. Farming 
land in states east, southeast and south of Minnesota will sell for $60 
per acre and upwards. In many instances it cannot be purchased 
at $100 per acre even for farming uses. Lands in Minnesota, equally 
rich, and equally accessible to markets, can be purchased at prices 
much lower. In southwestern Minnesota, lands quite as good as 
those in the other areas referred to, can be obtained for $25 to $40 
per acre. The reference is to lands with a certain amount of im- 
provements on them. In the park region, in central Minnesota, good 
farming lands may be bought which are fairly well fenced and fur- 
nished with outbuildings, at $35, and less, per acre. In the Red 
River Valley good farming lands may be bought at $25 to $35 per acre 
which are possessed of a natural fertility that is, in a sense, unpar- 
alleled. In northern Minnesota, cut-over lands may be bought 
at from $2.00 to $15.00 per acre, according to soil, location and 
other conditions. Why, it may be asked, are lands so fertile, obtain- 
able at prices so much lower than in other states ? The reasons are 
various : First, the state is newer than those to the south and west ; 
second, until recently the farming consisted in cropping the land by 
growing on it the small cereals and selling them. As a result, the 
yields have gone down, and the farmers, or many of them, rather 
than change their system, will sell their lands and locate in far-off 
areas where they can continue the same system of farming. Where 
dairying is extensively followed, as in southeastern Minnesota, these 
conditions do not prevail. Third, in the Red River Valley the large 
rainfall during recent years, in the absence of sufficient drainage, 
has depressed the price of lands. The farmers who buy and drain 
these lands will have a grand heritage. The low price of lands in 
northern Minnesota is the outcome of their uncleared condition. It 
is only during recent years that the people. of the state have come to 
realize that those lands were valuable for farming. 

THE FUTURE OF MINNESOTA. 

Viewed from the standpoint of the cheapness of the lands in rela- 
tion to their quality, where in all the United States can lands be found 
that are relatively cheaper? Viewed from the standpoint of pro- 
ductiveness, where can lands be obtained that are more productive ? 
Viewed from the standpoint of diversity in production, where can 
lands be obtained that will grow a greater variety of crops ? What 
state in all the Union can furnish homes where the climate is better ; 
where the market facilities are superior, and where the social and 
educational advantages are on a higher plane? The number of farm 
homes could be easily doubled, and yet there would be room for more. 

If asked which state, in the not-distant future, is going to lead in 
various production among the states, I would answer, Minnesota. 



30 



AGRICULTURE 



If asked which state is going to lead in live stock in proportion to 
its area, I would answer, Minnesota, If asked which is some day 
going to lead in maximum production in proportion to its area, I 
would answer, Minnesota. It may be said that I have written this 
paper in the hope of inducing settlers to come to Minnesota. That 
is exactly true, and my only regret in regard to it is, that it was not 
written years ago. I would not be true to Minnesota, or to the 
people of the United States, did I not embrace this opportunity of 
making known to others what a f ourteen-years ' residence in this state 
has shown me in regard to its agricultural capabilities. 

My one request of the reader who is seeking a home is to investi- 
gate carefully the claims of Minnesota before going further. The 
claims made for the state wil] bear investigation. Those who visit 
the cut-over lands should be especially guarded against the im- 
pression made by their present condition. Slaughtered forests, with 
stumps in some instances undecayed, and brush everywhere, do not 
furnish an attractive picture to the homeseeker. 




Mangels, Carrots and Rutabagas. 
Dairy Farm, D. O. Anderson, Meadowlands, St. Louis Co., Minn, 



2 



Live Stock in Minnesota. 

By Prof. Thos. Shaw. 



If I were asked which state among all the states in the Union 
has the highest adaptation for the successful growing of live stock, 
I would answer, Minnesota, If asked the reasons, I would say they 
are based upon: first, the varied and abundant character of the 
production ; second, the abundance and purity of the waters; third, 
the salubrious and steady character of the climate; fourth, location 
with reference to the ranges; fifth, location with reference to the 
markets for pure-bred stock; sixth, the proximity to the market 
for finished meats; seventh, and contiguity to the centers where 
mill products are manufactured. These will be discussed in turn. 

If asked why Minnesota does not rank higher in the growing 
of live stock, and live stock products to-day, I answer, for many 
reasons, prominent among which are the following: first, as Rome 
was not built up in a day, neither can the live stock be built up in 
any state. Settlement in the oldest counties in Minnesota does not 
go back much beyond fifty years. Second, the genius of the early 
settlers did not lead them toward stock keeping. Minnesota more 
than almost any other state was settled by a foreign and mixed 
population. Many of them knew nothing of tilling the soil. Much 
less did they know about the keeping of live stock. For successive 
years, on taking up their claims, they grew grain to the almost entire 
exclusion of live stock. Third, for many years there was no home 
market for live stock, and the facilities for shipping were not good. 
Thus the door is left wide open for almost limitless increase in the 
production of live stock in the state. 

VARIED AND ABUNDANT PRODUCTION. 

If asked which state among all the states is capable of producing 
the greatest variety of products on which to sustain live stock, I 
would answer, Minnesota. I would give this answer without any 
hesitation. I admit that some other states are a close second. 
"Wisconsin, for instance, is very similar in its production, but with 
all due deference to the excellences of that state, it may be said in 
all fairness, that Wisconsin does not equal Minnesota in the pro- 
duction of wheat and flax, nor does "Wisconsin possess, relatively, 
so large an amount of rich soil. 

The varied and abundant character of the production applies 
to grains, grasses, forage crops and root crops. The grains include 



LIVE STOCK 



33 



wheat, oats, barley, rye, peas, flax and speltz, also millet. Natural 
adaptation for the growth of all these ranks high, and all of them 
furnish the concentrates that are so essential to the growing of live 
stock. The yields of each are higher than states .further south, 
and so they will continue because of climatic conditions. The 
moderate temperatures in Minnesota are favorable* to the proper 
filling of the grain. The yields of the same may be greatly increased 
by improved tillage. Good cultivation will give an average of twenty 
bushels per acre of macaroni wheat, frequently used as an adjunct in 
feeding stock. Forty bushels of oats, thirty of barley, twenty of rye, 
twenty of Canada peas, twelve of flax, thirty-five of speltz and twenty- 
five of millet. Succotash, which consists of wheat and oats, and some- 
times flax grown together, will readily yield thirty to forty bushels per 
acre. These when grown in due proportion make a perfect concentrate 
for feeding live stock. The Canada field pea, so valuable in feeding 
farm animals, grows in finest form, especially in the northerly counties 
of the state. And in the near future it will be extensively grown both for 
the grain and to provide soiling food. Even without corn a state that 
can grow grains thus can forge away to the front in keeping stock. 

But Minnesota has corn as well. In all the southern half of Minne- 
sota corn will soon be as extensively grown for the grain as in northern 
Iowa, one of the greatest of the corn states. With due attention to se- 
lecting varieties the yields in Minnesota are quite as large, and the ma- 
turing quite as certain. In the northern half of Minnesota certain vari- 
eties of com will mature every year, and the finest crops of corn can be 
and are grow T n for fodder every year. 

But in no line of production is Minnesota more distinguished than 
in the production of grasses. While this applies to all Minnesota, it is 
pre-eminently true of the central and northern parts of the state. The 
grasses include blue grass, timothy, Russian brown and redtop, and such 
native grasses as blue joint, in the lowlands, and Western rye or slender 
wheat grass on the drylands. The clovers Include the common red, the 
mammoth, the alsike, the white and alfalfa. In central and northern 
Minnesota the grasses are green through ' all the season of growth ; so 
luxuriantly do they grow that in some distances in the northern Coun- 
ties one acre will sustain a cattle beast through all the season of grazing. 
Usually three acres of tame grass are required to carry a mature animal 
through the season, and from ten to twenty acres on the western ranges. 

Forage crops in the state are grown quite as luxuriantly as the grasses. 
No state in the Union will grow more or better corn fodder per acre than 
Minnesota. At the experimental station at Grand Rapids, in north- 
ern Minnesota, more than five tons of cured fodder have been 
grown per acre. In the Red River Valley, just at the Canadian 
boundar}', corn for the silo or for forage may be readily grown that will 
reach the height of seven to eight feet. Sorghum for fodder can also be 



34 



LIVE STOCK 



grown in any part of the state, and when properly grown the yields are 
enormous. Peas and oats grown together for fodder will yield from 
two to four tons of cured food per acre. 

It is doubtless quite safe to say that in no state in all the Union can 
better crops of field roots be grown than in Minnesota, while rutabagas, 
turnips, mangels^ sugar beets, carrots, and parsnips will grow large crops in 
every county of the state ; the northern portions have highest adaptation for 
the same, owing, in part, to peculiarities of soil, and in part to peculiari- 
ties of climate. The close relation between stock-keeping and the grow- 
ing of field roots is known to all who are conversant with the growing 
of domestic animals on the farm. The bearing of this upon production 
in the future is of the closest kind. As surely as the sun shines, the 
state that gives most attention in the future to the growing of field roots 
for stock will stand pre-eminent in the character of the stock which it 
produces. 

ABUNDANT AND PURE WATERS. 

The relation between the abundance and purity of the waters in a 
country, and the successful growing of live stock is of the closest kind. 
Where can a country with more and purer water be found in all America ? 
The whole state is underlaid with water, not hundreds of faet downward, 
but within a reasonable distance of the surface. Evidence of this fact 
is found in the lakes that abound throughout the state, many of which 
have no visible outlet. There is evidently subterranean communication be- 
tween these. They number three thousand, not including the many smaller 
basins of water which cannot in fairness be called lakes. Who ever heard 
of a farmer in Minnesota who could not get water abundantly without 
the expensive necessity of putting down an artesian well? The streams 
and rivulets are numbered "by the hundred if not by the thousand. The 
excess of the waters in many parts of the state has been such as to claim 
the attention of the legislature in removing them from wide areas of 
level land covered with a soil of surpassing richness. 

The purity of the waters is on a par with their abundance. This is 
evidenced in the fact that malarial diseases are practically unknown in 
Minnesota. Usually bodies of water that lie in basins produce disease 
in the late summer; this is not true of Minnesota. Her climate would 
seem to be fatal to all disease germs, malarial in character. The waters 
of Minnesota will play an important part in the tremendous development 
of live stock that is sure to come to the state. 

SALUBRIOUS AND STEADY CLIMATE. 

No one. who is at all acquainted with the climate of Minnesota will 
for one moment think of disputing the claim that the climate is health- 
ful and invigorating to man, and also to domestic animals. It could not 
well be otherwise. From the elevation of Minnesota, waters flow into the 
oceans of the northeast and south. Elevation and salubrity in climate 
cannot be divorced. 



LIVE STOCK 



35 




Feeding Corn in Redwood County. 



1 




1. . 

Redwood County Farm Scene. 



36 



LIVE STOCK 



But the popular conception of the climate in Minnesota outside of 
the state is that it is too cold to make highest success possible in the 
keeping of live stock. It is true that the temperatures are low, but link 
this fact with three other facts, and how does the matter stand? The 
first of these is the dry character of the climate; twenty degrees below 
zero at St. Paul is felt much less than ten degrees below zero at Portland, 
Maine. The second is the brightness of the winter weather. It would 
probably be correct to say that Minnesota has days of bright sunshine 
in winter for every one that is cloudy. The third is that the winter cli- 
mate is steady. When the ground freezes about November 20th, it re- 
mains frozen until well on in March. Eain and sleet are almost un- 
known in winter. During all the period named, the yards in Minnesota 
have no slush and mire as they have in states farther south. It is this 
combination of favorable conditions that has made the successful fatten- 
ing of cattle and sheep, in the state, possible, in some instances with no 
other shelter than that of a grove. Her steady character of the climate 
in winter aids in maintaining an equilibrium in appetite. Animals that 
are being fattened, when judiciously fed, are always ready for their food, 
which is of great moment in fattening live stock. If asked which state 
among all the states has the best winter climate for fattening live stock, 
I would answer, Minnesota. I may be wrong, but this is my present con- 
viction. 

It is further objected, that the length of the Minnesota winter is 
against it as a stock-producing country ; the answer to this objection is, 
that the suitability of a state for producing live stock is by no means 
measured by the shortness of its winters. Arizona, for instance, has vir- 
tually no winter, and yet one acre in Minnesota, on the average, will 
produce more meat or milk than ten acres in Arizona. In an arable 
state that is productive, a less area is required to produce the food that 
will maintain an animal for the six months, including winter, than for 
the six months including summer. The increased expense from winter- 
ing comes from providing shelter and handling the food. This in- 
creased expense will probably be more than met by the increased 
production in the amount of food grown for stock on tilled land, as 
compared with the same grown on pasture lands. 

CONTIGUITY TO THE RANGES. 

One of the great advantages of Minnesota as a live stock producing 
center, is its proximity to the northwestern ranges. Much of the area 
in the western Dakotas will be rauge, or semi-range, country through all 
time as far as can be judged by the indications of the present. With the 
agricultural development in these areas, through irrigation, a portion of 
the live stock grown in the range country may come to be finished there. 
Notwithstanding, a large percentage of the same will find its way to the 
feed lots in arable areas eastward. In finding such a market, the high- 
way traversed is eastward into or across Minnesota. Why should the 



LIVE STOCK 



37 



farmers of Minnesota allow a single hoof to cross her eastern border, at 
least in the unfinished form ? Minnesota is capable of producing, with- 
in her borders, the food that will finish all the surplus stock grown on 
those ranges in addition to that grown within the state. The advantage 
thus enjoyed by Minnesota cannot be easily overestimated. It puts her 
in the position of securing a supply of stockers for feeding through all 
time, both in the line of cattle and sheep. In this way a market may 
be found right on the farm, for all the coarse grains, and all the fodders 
grown on the same. The result will be an enormous saving in freights,' 
and also of the elements of fertility to be used in growing crops from 
year to year. The saving thus effected in freights may be shown as fol- 
lows: To make two pounds of meat per day from a good one-thousand 
pound steer that is being fattened, would call for, say, thirty pounds of 
good clover hay and grain, of which, say, twelve pounds would be grain. 
The reduction in the weight to be transported as meat, compared with 
the food used in making it, would be twenty-eight pounds, or ninety-three 
per cent. The reduction in the freight of butter, as compared with the 
food used in making it, is ninety-seven per cent. The fertilizing ele- 
ments thus saved to the state would add millions to its wealth every 
year. The opportunity thus to get feeding stock is of transcendent im- 
portance. 

MARKETS FOR PURE-BRED STOCK. 

Minnesota is situated most fortunately with reference to the markets 
for pure-bred stock. During all the past since ranching was established 
in the west, ranchmen have been coming east for the sires which they 
need. To obtain these, they come right across the state of Minnesota. 
Some were purchased as far eastward as New York, and some even in 
the Province of Ontario'. Pure stock grown in Minnesota has frequently 
won out in competing against the world. Why, then, should purchas- 
ers be allowed to go on buying pure-bred stock and shipping it so far, 
when it can be produced of at least equal excellence in this state? The 
farmers have been so engrossed in growing grain for sale that they have 
neglected this important industry. 

The conditions are all present for growing such stock in finest form. 
There are no good reasons why Minnesota should not become as famous 
for growing pure-bred animals in many lines as Ontario now is. The 
same kind of foods may be grown as Ontario produces, and in far great- 
er abundance because of the greater richness of Minnesota's soil. The 
door of opportunity stands thus wide-open for the coming of hundreds 
of the breeders of pure-bred stock to the state. This door stands open 
with reference to every line of breeding, for which there is a demand at 
the present time. ' 

The area in which such stock may be marketed is large. It extends 
westward to the ocean, nearly two thousand miles from St. Paul. With, 
the gradual change from all grain-growing to mixed farming that is in- 



LIVE STOCK 



39 



evitable in the grain-growing areas of the northwestern states, the de- 
mand for pure-bred stock will greatly increase. It would be safe to say 
that for every herd, flock or stud of pure-bred animals in the state to- 
day, there will be room for a score in the near future. With the develop- 
ment of pure-bred stock there always comes an uplift in the character of 
the stock in any state that is noted for this class of live stock production. 

PROXIMITY TO THE MARKETS. 

The statement would seem safe that no state in all the west is so hap- 
pily situated, with reference to markets, as Minnesota. Within it are 
three great and growing cities, each of which is destined to become a cen- 
ter for the manufacture of live stock products. These are the cities of 
Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth. The area of the stock yards in St. 
Paul is greater than that of the stock yards in Chicago, and the manu- 
facture of meats in the same is making gigantic increase. An enormous 
packing plant is now assured for Minneapolis to be operated by the Ar- 
mours. Nor can there be any doubt but that Duluth will establish a 
similar plant. It cannot be otherwise with such a country to the west- 
ward, and such facilities for shipping meats and other live stock products. 

In these markets from one or the other of which no part of Min- 
nesota is more than 250 miles distant, finished animals may be sold at 
any season of the year. So the same stockers will be sent, not only from 
Minnesota, but from the states and range country to the west, so that at 
any season the farmers may purchase supplies for feeding. These cows, 
soon to calve, may be sold* to supply the needs of dairymen, and others 
v/ho furnish milk to the cities. Lambs and wethers for finishing on the 
farms will always be obtainable, and even ewes from the ranges, with 
which to establish flocks for breeding. 

A good demand for finished meats is also assured. This will not 
result alone from distribution of the slaughtered and manufactured 
products to other centers and through export, but it will also result from 
the numbers of the people in the cities referred to. Minnesota will soon 
have a million of people in the three cities named. As cities grow and 
wealth accumulates in them, the demand for meat of higher grades in- 
creases. This means that ere long the demand for extra prime will be 
as great in those cities as it now is in the great cities on the Atlantic sea- 
board. This demand will build up an industry in the growing of milk 
lambs that will bring good revenue to those who engage in it. 

THE ABUNDANCE OF MILL PRODUCTS. 

For many years, Minneapolis has been recognized as the greatest cen- 
ter for the manufacture of flour in the world. This means that it is also 
the greatest center for the manufacture of bran, and other mill foods so 



40 



LIVE STOCK 



valuable in the feeding of live stock. Every bushel of wheat ground into 
flour means a byproduct of approximately twenty pounds of food for 
live stock, in the form of such ingredients as bran, shorts and red-dog 
flour. Multiply this amount by the millions and millions of bushels 
ground every year, and some idea will be obtained of the enormous 
amount thus manufactured. If it pays dairymen and others in the New 
England states to buy Minnesota bran, how much more will it pay the 
farmers of Minnesota to do the same? No mill product is so valuable 
for growing swine as shorts, and in no state in all the Union is this 
product manufactured in volumes so large. 

The supremacy of Minnesota in the manufacture of mill products 
would seem to be assured for all time. Other areas may have a water 
power equal to that of Minnesota, but they have not the producing ter- 
ritory adjacent to them that will compare with that adjacent to Minne- 
apolis. The Dakotas have the producing power, but they do not have 
equal facilities for manufacturing grain, or for disposing of the manu- 
factured product. This means that through all time the mills of Min- 
neapolis will not cease to grind wheat and coarse grains drawn from the 
Dakotas. As long as Dakota soils will produce, and as long as the wa- 
ters of the Mississippi flow southward, just so long will the manufac- 
ture of these products continue. 

The manufacture of oil cake is also centered in Minnesota to a great- 
er extent than in any other place, and for the same reason that the manu- 
facture of wheat is centered there; this means that Minnesota will con- 
tinue to manufacture more oil cake through all time, than any other 
state in the Union. The superlative value of oil cake, in growing and 
feeding live stock, is now recognized by all intelligent stockmen. When 
live stock comes to be grown, as it may be and will be grown in this state 
in the future, ninety per cent of this great live stock food will not be 
sent to Europe, as it is at the present time. If it goes there at all, it 
will go in the form of Minnesota meats. 



MINNESOTA AND HORSE PRODUCTION. 

Minnesota has never become especially noted for horse production, 
but that is not to be attributed to any lack of adaptation for this work. 
The requisites are all here. These are, a rich soil, variety and suitability 
in food production, a healthful climate, and a good market. Among 
the grasses most useful in producing horses are blue-grass and timothy, 
which grow in finest form in the state, ilmong the concentrates are oats, 
barley, speltz and flax, the natural adaptation for which is not excelled 
in any state in the Union. If carrots are wanted to tone the digestion, 
they have only to be planted and cared for in order to secure them in 
abundance. If bran and oil cake are wanted to prevent or remove con- 
stipation, in no place can they be obtained more cheaply and plentifully. 



LIVE STOCK 




42 



LIVE STOCK 



The climate is ideal for horses, as it is reasonably dry, and the air is in- 
vigorating. The low temperatures of winter are less minded by horses 
than by almost any other kind of live stock. 

While this adaptation applies to all kinds of horses, it especially ap- 
plies to the rearing of draught horses. The demand for these, especially 
of the dray class, is greatest, and the profit from growing this class of 
horses is also greatest. The larger the growth in cities, the larger the 
number of heavy dray horses wanted. Minnesota has been notably de- 
ficient in producing this class of horses, for no other reason than that the 
attention of the farmers has not been centered upon it. 

The United States census for 1809 gives the number of horses in 
the state as 704,808. Taking the tax list as reported for 1908 as a basis 
of estimate, the horses, young and old, may be set down as 734,823. The 
area of the state is 53,943,379 acres. The land surface is 50,335,367 
acres at the present time ; therefore there is but one horse, young or old, 
in the state for every 67 acres of land surface. It is abundantly appar- 
ent, therefore, that the opportunity is great for the extension of the in- 
dustry of breeding horses, whether of the heavy types to supply the need 
for dray uses, or of pure-bred sires to facilitate the breeding of this class 
of horses. 

MINNESOTA, AND BEEF PRODUCTION. 

The tax list, as reported from the different counties for 1908, does 
not include cattle under one yeav. A reasonable allowance for these, 
added to those returned by the assessors, would bring the number of cat- 
tle in the state to 2,11.2,818. These include dairy cow& This means 
that in the state there is only one cattle beast for every 25 acres of land 
surface. The room for increase, therefore, is very great in this line. 

That Minnesota may take front rank as a beef-producing state, has 
been shown above. The foods needed to grow and finish the animals 
may all be grown within the state, without importing a pound of fodder 
or grain from other states. The supplies of bedding are such that im- 
mense quantities of straw are burned, to the shame of Minnesota, every 
year. Experiences have shown that cattle will fatten as well in the 
state with no other shelter than that of a shed and yard protection from 
the wind, as though housed in stables and tied in the stall. 

That beef cattle of the finest types may be grown in Minnesota has 
been abundantly proved by the winnings of Minnesota-bred cattle in the 
showings of America. The best herds of shorthorns in the United States 
at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, in 1893, came from ai Minne- 
sota herd. Minnesota herds have frequently won first honors at Amer- 
ica's foremost shows, the animals being all, or nearly all, homebred. Her 
Grand Champion, steer at the Chicago International Exposition in 1905 
was bred and reared in Minnesota. 



LIVE STOCK 



4^ 



That beef production has not attained a higher status in the state 
arises from many reasons; prominent among these are first, the extent to 
which the foolish idea prevailed for years that corn could not be success^ 
fully grown in the state; second, to the extent to which grain has been 
grown to the exclusion of almost everything else, and third, to the greater 
natural leaning of the settlers towards dairying. No branch of the live 
stock industry will increase more in the near future, than the production 
of beef. This will result from the tremendous increase in population 
without any increase in range area. The opportunity, therefore, for 
growing beef in the state, is a golden one. 

MINNESOTA AND DAIRYING. 

The state has won great renown for the quality of the butter that it 
has produced. This has not been the result of accident, nor is it the out- 
come of the superior ability alone of those engaged in the production of 
butter. Much credit is due to the buttermakers of the state, but they 
could not have triumphed as they have done but for the superlatively fa- 
vorable conditions which the state furnishes for dairying. 

The year book of the Department of Agriculture gives the number of 
milch cows in the state on January 1st, 1907, as 1,019,700, which puts 
Minnesota in the sixth place among the states in the number of cows 
owned. But large as this showing may appear, what does it mean? It 
means that our state has but one cow for each 50 acres of the land sur- 
face in the state. The great room for extension in this industry is 
therefore apparent. 

It is scarcely necessary to dwell upon the great adaptation of the state 
for dairying. Had it not been for such adaptation, the state could never 
have taken that rank which it now holds in butter production. Butter 
is very largely made in creameries conducted on the co-operation plan, 
which has proved greatly helpful to the extension of the industry in the 
state. 

The conditions favorable to buttermaking in the state include the 
abundant and varied production in the grasses which retain their suc- 
culence during nearly all the season for growth, the extraordinary diver- 
sity in the other foods produced, as coarse grains, corn and field root, 
proximity to mill foods manufactured within the state, and the purity of 
the air and water. It would seem absolutely safe to say, that no state 
in the Union is better supplied with water. The small outlay for ship- 
ping butter, combined with the abundant production, gives Minnesota a 
very large advantage in the production of this product over all states 
where foods cannot be successfully grown without the aid of artificial 
fertilizers. 




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LIVE STOCK 



45 



The natural adaptation for cheese production is as high as that for 
the production of butter, but the cheese industry is, in a sense, only in its 
infancy. The cheese industry could be made to equal that of the pro- 
duction of butter, without the necessity of encroaching on the latter. 

MINNESOTA AND SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 

The estimate for the sheep of the state, including lambs, puts the num- 
ber at 671,981. This estimate is based on the assessors' returns to the 
tax commission for 1908. This means that Minnesota has but one sheep 
and lamb, at the present time, for each 76 acres of land surface. The 
reasons for such a backward condition of the sheep industry in a state 
which stands in the very front rank in its adaptation for growing sheep 
are not easily given. The chief reason probably is the almost universal 
craze for grain growing, especially in the western half of the state. 
Other reasons include, the leaning of the people towards dairying, the 
absence of legislation to protect from dogs, and the extent to which wolves 
have prevailed, especially in the wooded areas. 

The wonderful adaptation of the state for growing sheep was well 
brought out in the trials conducted by the writer at the state experi- 
mental farm. In these trials, 100 sheep and lambs were practically graz- 
ed on ten acres of land during all the grazing season. That number was 
practically maintained on twenty acres throughout the year. The term, 
practically, is used for the reason that any food purchased, such as grain, 
was far more than equalled by the food grown and fed to other stock. 
These results may be more than equalled on the average land of the 
state. This means that 12,000,000 acres of the land of the state, never 
yet touched with the plough, would grow all the sheep at present grown 
in all the United States. 

Assuming that the number of farms in the state is 200,000, which 
is an underestimate, this would mean that if all the sheep and lambs in 
the state were apportioned to different farms, for each there would only 
be three animals. Each quarter section farm would sustain a flock of 
twenty sheep and lambs, during the seven to eight months of grazing, 
cn the weeds and grasses in the by-places of the same. These would thus 
be maintained without cost, and would render excellent service in the de- 
struction of weeds. Many of the farms of the state contain from two 
lo four quarter sections; but assuming that the farms number 200,000, 
and that but twenty sheep and lambs were put on each, this would give 
the state 4,000,000 sheep and lambs, which would give it very nearly the 
foremost place, for sheep production among all the states of the Union. 

The adaptation of Minnesota to sheep husbandry is of the very best. 
The great variety of the grasses; the succulence through all the season; 
the great variety of the coarse grains ; the large yields of the field roots, 
and the extent to which the rape plant can be grown, all indicate the 



h; 



LIVE STOCK 



great future that is before this state as a field for the production of mut- 
ton and wool. The dry, sunny winters are simply superb for the fat- 
tening of sheep. The screenings from the elevators furnish an excellent 
food, which can be used to better advantage in fattening sheep, than in 
feeding or fattening any other class of live stock, and the volume of these 
is very large. At the present time these are largly used in feeding at 
the stockyards, but they should be all fed on farms. Two lots of sheep 
can be finished in succession in the same sheds in one winter. Hundreds 
of sheep are fattened on some farms in the autumn on rape sown along 
with the grain. The plants develop chiefly after the grain is cut. The 
Minnesota experimental station grew lambs two years in succession, which, 
at the Chicago International, won first honors, competing against the 
world. 

MINNESOTA AND SWINE HUSBANDRY. 

An estimate, based on the tax list as reported, places the number of 
swine in the state as 972,048. This means but one animal of any age 
for each 51 acres of land surface in the state. It has already been shown 
that the conditions for dairying in all parts of the state are superlatively 
good. This means that they are good also for growing swine, for dairy- 
ing and swine husbandry go hand in, hand. Dairy products and swine 
are the chief sources of wealth in Denmark, but the natural conditions 
for either in Denmark are far below those in Minnesota. 

The soil of Denmark is not nearly so productive. Barley is one of 
the chief foods used in feeding both cows and swine in Denmark, but 
more barley can be grown in Minnesota per acre than in Denmark, and 
without artificially stimulating production by application of fertilizers. 
The farmer in Denmark who uses corn imports ft from the United States. 
The farmer of Minnesota who feeds it in the ear form can grow it on his 
farm, in at least two-thirds of the state. In the other third he can grow 
it in the form of fodder for his cows, and in numerous quantities; and 
in all these counties he can grow fine crops of Canada field peas in addition 
to barley. 

In southern Minnesota many farmers who till but a quarter section 
of land even now grow 30 to 40 acres of corn. Their chief production 
is milk and pork. Where could the conditions be more favorable to suc- 
cess in those lines on land that does not average more than $50 an acre? 
Cows, swine, corn, clover and coarse grains, on lands not higher priced 
than those named, make a wonderful combination for successful farm- 
ing. 

In all the northern half of the state, an area as large as several of the 
New England states, the conditions for growing bacon are of the very 
best. They are at least equal, if not superior, to those of Ontario, which 
lias made such tremendous strides in the growing of high-class bacon 



48 



LIVE STOCK 



during recent years. Already the markets of this country are discrimi- 
nating in favor of the bacon types of swine. That discrimination will 
increase with the passing of the years, and as it does increase, it will 
make the growing of bacon relatively more profitable than that of other 
types of swine. 

HINDRANCES TO LIVE STOCK DEVELOPMENT. 

It may be asked, with so many influences favorable to the production 
of stock in the state, are there no drawbacks to this style of farming? 
There are, but they are not many, and they are common to various other 
states. One of these is, the scarcity and dearness of building materials ; 
a second is lack of fencing on the farms, and a third is the general trend of 
the farming. 

The scarcity of building material applies chiefly to lumber, and to 
conditions in the southern half of the state. But it applies no more to 
southern Minnesota than to any other of the corn belt states. It is not 
for one moment to be imagined that because of this difficulty, any of 
these states will abandon stock growing for that style of farming that 
grows only grain. The abundance of straw in Minnesota, linked with the 
dry winters, is so far favorable to furnishing cheap protection. The 
ushering in of the concrete age, which has now come, will further aid in 
solving this problem. In but few parts of the state are the materials for 
concrete construction absent. 

The scarcity of material for fencing applies equally to all states 
in the upper Mississippi basin, and even more so to the states of the dry 
region to the west. No part of Minnesota is unfavorable to the grow- 
ing of posts, and the various forms of wire fencing will do the rest. The 
age of concrete posts is also doubtless very near. 

But these objections do not apply to northern Minnesota. Even on 
the cutover lands the material for building is ample for years to come, 
and the materials for fencing are most abundant. In many places they 
encumber the land. For years to come the fencing material will be so 
abundant that the only outlay incurred will be that incurred for labor in 
erecting the fences. Taking the state as a whole, therefore, it is more 
favorably situated, with reference to fencing, than most of the states of 
the west, or of the northwest. 

The greatest obstacle in the way of growing live stock comes from 
the indifference of the farmers themselves. So many of them have be- 
come so accustomed to the growing of grain, and to sell the same, to the 
practical exclusion of stock production, that they will not change. As 
long as they continue to farm, they will continue to> sap the fertility of 
their farms. The only hope of change is to be looked for in the young 
men growing up on these farms, or in farmers coming from other states, 
buying up farms, and tilling them on more rational lines. 



LHTB STOCK 




50 



LIVE STOCK 



ESTABLISHING LIVE STOCK FARMS. 

The farmers of the live stock states are essentially stock growers,- 
Circumstances have made them so, and the same is true of those of vari- 
ous other states. When those farmers are seeking homes for their sons, 
they should naturally give the preference to areas where practically the 
same line of farming can be pursued. Thus, the farmer from Iowa 
would naturally prefer investment in lands where live stock farming, 
could be pursued, than in lands adapted mainly to grain growing. Where 
can such lands be so cheaply secured as in Minnesota? This applies to 
the south, the central and also the northern parts of the state. 

In the southern areas of Minnesota, where the land is chiefly prairie, 
good farms, more or less improved, may be purchased, at say, $35 per 
acre, and upwards. It may be asked, how can such lands be obtained so 
reasonably if it ranks so high in productive power as has been claimed for 
it? The answer is easy. It follows, first, from the recent character of 
the settlement, especially in western Minnesota. Fifteen years ago the 
same lands could be bought for $15 an acre. Fifteen years hence it is 
reasonable to suppose that they will again have doubled in value. Sec- 
ond, these lands generally have been tilled on the basis of grain produc- 
tion. Had they been tilled on the basis of live stock production, the in- 
crease would have been more pronounced. Third, the lands of Minne- 
sota have been but little advertised, compared with the advertising given 
to lands further west and north. 

In central Minnesota is the park region, magnificently adapted to the 
growing of live stock, as it has groves and prairie land, undulating sur- 
faces, beautiful lakes and rich and easily tilled lands. Farms in this re- 
gion will cost about the same as those further south. 

In northern Minnesota, farms can be obtained for $5.00 per acre 
and upwards, according to proximity to railroads, or otherwise. These 
are largely cutover lands and they cover wide areas. That intending 
settlers should have passed by these lands and taken, in preference, farms 
on the wind-swept prairies, is one of the almost unexplainable things, and 
yet it can be in part, at least, accounted for. These lands have a forbid- 
ding appearance. Some labor must be expended on them before they 
give any return, and the erroneous impression has gone abroad that the 
soil is not productive. 

Where can the man with but a little capital obtain a good home so 
cheaply ? He has but to retain a ruin of forest or grove, already planted 
by nature around his building site, and he has natural protection around 
his buildings during his lifetime, and that of his son. He has but to cut 
down the brush, and pile the decaying wood in heaps to apply the torch 
to these, and then to scatter grass and clover seeds over the area, without 
any harrowing, to obtain excellent pasture, or meadow for his stock. 
Thus in one year he will be able to get a return for dairy cows, and other 
stock. Lands thus sown to grass will continue to produce for years, 
while the stumps on these decay. Much of the land has some good tim- 



LIVE STOCK 



51 



ber, which may be used in building, or sold as lumber or wood; and in 
all this northern area the settler can get good wages in the lumber camps 
.further north throughout the winter season. Within a comparatively 
short period, those lands will sell for $25 to $50 per acre, owing to their 
favorable location, and to their natural productiveness. It is not ex- 
travagant to look for such a rise in values, more especially when it is 
remembered that light in the heart of this area are the iron mines, which 
furnish one of the best markets for agricultural products. 

THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE IN MINNESOTA. 

From what has been said, the prediction made at the outset in this 
paper, that Minnesota will one day lead in live stock production, will 
not seem unreasonable. The same may be said of its agriculture, in a 
wider sense. The land surface of the state would furnish more than 
300,000 farms of 160 acres, each. It would furnish more than 600,000 
farms of 80 acres. While many farms may remain large, the subdivision 
just stated will probably be approximated during the generation now 
growing up. What will this mean to the state ? It will mean that the 
conditions for living will be such that rural life will be very desirable. 
Homes will then be contiguous and not widely scattered as on the far 
western prairies. Schools can be maintained without great cost to the 
individual, and the same is true of churches, and of all fraternal organiza- 
tions that make good citizenship. 

It is fitting, therefore, that those in the older states, who are looking 
for homes for their sons to the westward, should first examine the claims 
of Minnesota. In all the Union no single state can furnish more ad- 
vantages to those who till the lands, if indeed as many. Had the true 
character of the ability of the state to produce been generally known, 
not a foot of land would be unoccupied by settlers today. But this state 
has done almost nothing to advertise the vacant lands, hence homeseek- 
ers have not heard of them. 




Island Dairy and Celery Farm, G. C. Hartley, Owner, Duluth, Minn. 



The Manufactures of Minnesota. 



A new era is coming for Minnesota as a manufacturing state. In 
earlier years it had only two important industries, logging and wheat 
raising. So the factory output of the state was mainly flour and lum- 
ber, and this was largely the case until a very recent time. Flour milling 
and lumber manufacture still take the lead in volume and in the value 
of their product, which is enormous, but they no longer hold such ex- 
clusive sway. Many other enterprises are coming to the front, which will 
make Minnesota a region of diversified manufactures, as it is of diversi- 
fied farming. Already the state's centers of population afford a ready 
market to consume the farm products, but the cities are destined to far 
greater activity and importance. 

Before indicating along what lines this new industrial development 
is coming, it would be well to review the present achievement. 

The total value of the state's factory output in 1905, according to 
the federal .census bureau, was $307,858,073, which is $155 per capita 
for the state. This was a remarkable increase over the 1900 record, 
which was $262,655,881. The biggest industry on the list was flour and 
grist milling, 363 plants with a capital of $34,857,366, and turned out 
products during the year worth $122,059,123. The five year period 
showed a big increase in this industry, and the increase came largely in 
the smaller cities. Minneapolis, the great flour city of the world, con- 
tributed but a little more than half of the state's output, in 1905, its 
value being $62,754,446. Few realize what an enormous sum total the 
"country mills" of Minnesota make up, running close in value to that 
of the metropolis. 

The returns showed 222 lumber mills in the state, with product of 
$33,183,309 in value. There were also 94 sash and door factories and 
planing mills, with an output valued at $7,949,212. The sawmill pro- 
duct declined from 1900, but that of the allied industries showed a big 
increase. That is the tendency of the state. As the raw material close 
at hand is used up, it is brought from a distance and worked up in Min- 
nesota factories for distribution. The factor)'- system reaches higher per- 
fection all the time. Though the forests of Minnesota are waning and 
are being replaced by productive farms, the woodworking industries of the 
state are growing instead of declining. 

The same is manifestly true of milling. Diversified farming has de- 
creased the wheat area of Minnesota, but the mills are still abundantly 
supplied. The flour of Minneapolis and of Minnesota is known the 
world over. The first flour made in the state was given an Ohio brand 
to help sell it. Now a Minnesota brand is a certificate of quality, and 
spring wheat from all over the northwest stops at Minnesota mills on 
its way to the markets of the east. 



MANUFACTURES 




54 



MANUFACTURES 



Even Minnesota little realizes that the state is a factor in the dressed 
meat industry. The census examiners found 24 meat packing estab- 
lishments in the state, with an annual output of $17,526,707. Yet this 
industry is an infant. In addition to Swift & Co/s mammoth plant 
now in operation at South St. Paul, the Armours have bought a tract of 
land close to Minneapolis where they will shortly build a model packing 
plant with a new suburb around it. Its object is to save freight on the 
line beef cattle now available in the Minnesota market, and to save it 
again on the dressed meat. Other plants will doubtless follow, till in and 
around the Twin Cities will be produced a meat supply for the north- 
west, and a surplus for shipment to eastern and foreign markets. 

Dairy farming has found itself in Minnesota through the co-opera- 
tive creamery idea, which applies factory methods for the benefit of 
those who supply the milk and cream. In 1905 the state had 712 cream- 
eries and 59 cheese factories, with an output of $12,871,129 in value, 
a great part of which was marketed in Chicago and New York, giv- 
ing the farmers who sell the cream the benefit of top market prices. 

Duluth is now certain of its destiny as another Pittsburg. The vast 
ore deposits of the northern ranges have heretofore been drawn upon for 
smelters in Ohio and Pennsylvania. IsTow the United States Steel com- 
pany is establishing a great steel plant at Duluth, which will take the 
Minnesota ore, smelt it with coal brought westward up the lakes, and 
supply the pig iron close at hand for all manner of iron and steel working 
establishments, both at Duluth and at inferior points, such as the Twin 
Cities. Minneapolis has already two large structural steel factories, and 
under the head of foundries and machine shops, the state had 173 plants 
in 1905, with a product estimated to be worth $6,550,040. This was ex- 
clusive of 24 railroad car and repair shops, which turned out work valued 
at $7,379,627. 

A glance over the list will show the varied character of industries 
which are thriving in Minnesota, Some are operated on a small scale, 
as yet, but the fact that they succeed is evidence that they will grow, 
since the teeming millions on Minnesota and Dakota farms are their 
market. 

Farm products are making some of these industries. Much of the 
enormous flaxseed crop of the northwest stops at Minneapolis, which 
is the greatest linseed oil producer of the country. Five linseed oil mills 
in 1905 had an output worth $7,018,234, and it has since increased heav- 
ily. The prime barley of Minnesota is being malted at home more 
and more. 

Other industries that manufacture for the northwest include the 
boot and shoe factories with 17 plants and a $4,000,000 output, and the 
following with annual outputs worth $2,000,000 or over: Fur goods, 
bags for flour, etc., cigars and tobacco, patent medicines and compounds, 
agricultural implements, structural ironwork, men's clothing, furniture, 
gas and coke plants. Still others that are fast developing are hosiery and 



MANUFACTURES 



55 



knit goods, woolen mills, harness and saddlery, wagon and carriages, 
wooden specialties, confectionery, pickles and preserves, beet sugar, 
pianos, trunks, and a dozen others. 

Development in these lines is by no means confined to the large cities. 
A striking feature of the census figures is the progress of small towns. 
The seven largest cities of the state increased their factory output in five 
years from $143,537,216 to $186,101,775, or not quite 30 per cent. The 
remainder of the state increased between 1900 and 1905 from $60,155,- 
706 to $121,756,298, or more than double. 

Opportunity for prosperous manufacturing business in many of the 
lines mentioned is to be found on every side in Minnesota. A big fac- 
tor in the industrial growth of the state is its water power. Northern 
Minnesota is the watershed which turns rainfall into three great con- 
tinental basins. While the altitude is nowhere great, there is a marked 
fall in all the streams. St. Anthony Falls made Minneapolis a flour mill- 
ing metropolis. New power dams both above and below it are in pros- 
pect to furnish the city's industries with additional cheap power, and 
electric power is being transmitted from the St. Croix river forty miles 
away. New power dams are projected at many points, not only in the 
Mississippi, but in its tributaries. In all 242 water power plants in the 
state develop 165,000 horse power, and it is only a starter. One at Thom- 
son, on the St. Louis river near Duluth, is expected to develop enormous 
power. International Falls, on the Canadian boundary, will get power 
from the Rainy river exceeding that of St. Anthony, and will be another 
Minneapolis. On the other hand, the improvement of the Mississippi 
river will bring coal from Illinois and Pennsylvania at rates which will 
greatly lessen its cost and will be of vast advantage to Minnesota users of 
power. 

No one can estimate the value of a manufacturing market for a farm- 
ing country. Minnesota's cities, have grown with the country, and the 
country will share the prosperity of the cities. It is found by comparison 
that the value of Minneapolis manufactures, in proportion to its popula- 
tion, is as great as Pittsburg's. As a consuming market such a city is 
a great factor. St. Paul in diverse lines has an equally great future. 
Duluth is one of the busiest cities of its size in the world, and because 
the country round it has been slow to develop, Duluth imports vegetables 
from the state of Washington. Northern Minnesota farmers will find 
that market right at their door. 

The 4,756 manufacturing establishments found in the state in 1905 
had 9,141 people on their salary roll and 69,636 classed as wage-earners. 
They paid out $9,032,840 in "salaries" and $35,843,145 in "wages." Take 
those 80,000 people, estimate the number of dependents supported by 
their income, and the number living off them in mercantile trades and 
other lines of service, and one can reach some idea of what a manufactur- 
ing market means to the farmers of Minnesota. In the future develop- 
ment of manufactures in the state rests much of the value of Minnesota 
farm lands, and the prosperity of their owners. 



State Institutions. 



Minnesota's state institutions are among the best, and in some cases, 
outrank those of her sister states. 

Our magnificent new state capitol, which was erected at a cost of 
nearly -five million, is cne of the finest capitol buildings in the United 
States. The material used for its construction is principally Minnesota 
granite and Georgia marble, but marble from almost every part of the 
globe is represented in this building. The capitol is under the cus- 
todianship of the governor, and a corps of janitors are employed to care 
for the immense building. Thousands of visitors from all parts of the 
country and the world visit this building and admire its beauty. 

THE STATE UNIVEESITY. 

. The state university is located at Minneapolis, and is quartered in 
magnificent buildings, surrounded by spacious grounds. This university 
ranks with the best in the United States. It was organized by an act 
of the territorial legislature of 1851. The beginning of the work in the 
university was slow and retarded by the great financial panic which visit- 
ed the country soon after its first buildings were completed, but it grad- 
ually grew and expanded, until today it is recognized as one of the lead- 
ing educational institutions of America. An idea of its magnificent 
growth can be gathered from the following comparison: The first real 
charter year of the university was in 1869, and that year 212 students 
were enrolled, while the present year will foot to over 4,000. 

The University of Minnesota comprises the following named colleges, 
schools and departments: 

The Graduate School. 

The College of Science, Literature and Art, 
The College of Engineering and Mechanics Art. 
The School of Mines. 

The School of Analytical and Applied Chemistry. 

The College of Education. 

The Department of Agriculture. 

The College of Agriculture. 

The School of Agriculture. 

Short Course for Farmers. , : 

The Dairy School. 



STATE INSTITUTIONS 



57 



The Crookston School of Agriculture. 
The College of Law. 
The College of Medicine and Surgery. 
• The College of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery. 
The College of Dentistry. 
The College of Pharmacy. 

The regents of the university have also entrusted to their charge the 
Experimental Stations : 

The Main Station at St. Anthony Park. 

The Sub-station at Crookston. 

The Sub-station at Grand Eapids, 

The Geological and Natural History Survey. 

It will therefore be seen that the State University is a mammoth and 
important institution, and one that the people of our state are justly 
proud of. 

NORMAL SCHOOLS. 

Minnesota maintains five large and excellent normal schools, located 
in various parts of the state as follows: St. Cloud, Duluth, Mankato, 
Moorhead and Winona. Our normal schools are quartered in modern, 
and completely furnished and equipped buildings, where all branches of 
instruction are taught by the best instructors obtainable. The last re- 
port shows that 643 graduated during the year. All graduates froni 
these schools are successful teachers, and in many instances, hold high 
positions in the educational world. 

SCHOOL FOR DEAF. 

The state maintains a school for the deaf which is located in 
commodious buildings, upon beautiful grounds at Faribault, Rice 
county, where the best instructors obtainable are teaching almost 
300 unfortunate boys and girls to be useful and to earn their own 
living. Several useful trades are taught here, among which are shoe- 
making, cabinet making, printing, dressmaking, plain sewing, etc. 
This school, like similar schools in this state, is free and only the 
clothing and railroad fare is asked to be provided by the parents of 
the unfortunate children. However, if the parents are not able 
to furnish car fare and clothing for the children, the various counties 
will provide them. 

SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND. 

A school for the blind children of our state is also conducted 
at Faribault, and last year 92 pupils were enrolled. Here, by modern 
methods of educating the blind, these children, destined to go through 
this world in darkness, are given an education in literature and in- 
dustry, and an immense free library affords them many pleasures and 
advantages. 



STATE INSTITUTIONS 



STATE INSTITUTIONS 



59 



SCHOOL FOR FEEBLE MINDED. 

A school for the feeble minded children is also located at Fari- 
bault, where unfortunate children of the state are taught the simple 
branches of education, and cared for by the attendants, 

HOME FOR THE DEPENDENT CHILDREN. 

This institution was established by the legislature in 1886, and 
is located in Owatonna, Steele county. It consists of 13 substantial 
buildings located on a tract of 160 acres of land, near the above named 
city, and the estimated value of the buildings and grounds is $265,000. 
Here dependent and neglected children are afforded a comfortable 
home, educated, trained and carefully cared for until a suitable home 
can be found for them, and assurance of kind treatment from their 
foster parents. 

HOME FOR CRIPPLED AND DEFORMED CHILDREN. 

The state also provides for crippled and deformed children, and 
for many years has maintained a ward in the city hospital of St. 
Paul for that purpose, where the best possible care, medical treat- 
ment and education is afforded little cripples. Recently the city of 
St Paul donated a tract of some 60 acres near the city limits, with the 
provision that the state will erect a suitable home for these children, 
and it is expected that the next legislaure will appropriate sufficient 
funds to erect this home. 

THE SOLDIERS ' HOME. 

The Soldiers' Home is a state institution where all honorably dis- 
charged soldiers and sailors in the civil war, Mexican, the Spanish- 
American war, who are or may become residents of Minnesota, are 
afforded a comfortable home. It consists of a number of fine build- 
ings, located on a large tract of beautiful ground near Minnehaha 
Falls, overlooking the majestic Mississippi, and is one of Minnesota's 
beauty spots which tourists never fail to visit. 

HOSPITAL FOR INEBRIATES. 

At the last session of the legislature a bill was passed providing 
a hospital for the cure of inebriates. Two per cent of all liquor 
licenses in the state will go into this fund, and it is expected that a 
suitable building for that purpose will be erected somewhere within 
the state during the next two years. 

SANATORIUM FOR CONSUMPTIVES. 

The legislature of 1903 appropriated $25,000 for the erection of 
this sanatorium at Walker, Cass county, near Leech Lake. The 



60 



STATE INSTITUTIONS 



building which has been erected will accommodate 28 patients, and 
is located on a tract of 740 acres of land. This institution has 
just been completed, and will receive patients this year. 

It will therefore be seen that Minnesota affords homes and pro- 
tection for its helpless and unfortunate ones. 

STATE'S PRISON AND REFORMATORY. 

The Minnesota State Prison is located at Stillwater. In this 
prison the prisoners are employed in the manufacture of shoes and 
binding twine on " State account," and the returns from the sales 
of the manufactured goods is an important item in the maintenance 
of the prison. 

The State Reformatory is located at St. Cloud. Here inmates 
lacking education are placed in the institution schools in which they 
may graduate with the completion of the eighth grade. Some 
quarrying of stone for the erection of buildings within the enclosure 
is done, but farming is the principal labor. 

TRAINING SCHOOLS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. 

This school is located at Red Wiing, where incorrigible children 
are educated in the common branches. The boys are given an 
opportunity to get a fair start in the following trades: Carpentry, 
blacksmithing, laundrying, tailoring, shoemaking, painting, cooking, 
and floriculture. The girls are employed in sewing, knitting, cook- 
ing, laundrying and general housework. 

INSANE ASYLUMS. 

Minnesota maintains five hospitals for the insane, located in the 
following cities: Anoka,, Hastings, St. Peter, Rochester, and Fer- 
gus Falls. Medical attendance is given to all inmates, and the 
best possible care is provided. All are quartered in large, roomy 
buildings, with all modern conveniences. 



Educational Advantages of Minnesota. 



By J. W. Olson. 
State Superintendent of Public Instruction. 

Minnesota offers the widest opportunities in the way of public 
education. Its present school fund is larger than that of any other 
northern state, now amounting to $19,000,000 ; and, since, by a wise 
provision of legislation, only the interest of that can be used, the state 
auditor estimates that it will eventually approximate $75,000,000. 
No section of the state is so remote that the public school 
does not reach it. The first concern of the settler — even 
before he has fully established his own home — is to make provision 
for a school. While there are extensive sections in northern Minne- 
sota, containing some of the most fertile and valuable land in the 
state, still remaining as unorganized territory, the last legislature 
made especially helpful provision for the schooling of the children in 
these sparsely settled parts. In past years the settlers experienced 
some difficulty in getting the necessary school facilities by reason of 
their remoteness from organized district schools. To meet this 
difficulty the legislature has provided for a county board of education, 
composed of the county superintendent of schools, the county treas- 
urer, and chairman of the county board, to have charge of the unor- 
ganized territory of the county. Upon this board rests the respon- 
sibility of providing means of schooling for the children of the ter- 
ritory, either by establishing convenient schools, by transporting pu- 
pils to some nearby school, or by defraying the cost of their board and 
lodging, and other expenses incidental to their attendance at the 
school of some organized district too remote to admit of transporta- 
tion to and from it daily. - 

According to their organization and government, districts are 
common, independent and special. "With respect to their work, 
they are designated as rural, semigraded, graded and high. Public 
schooling is free to all children residing within their several districts. 
Until within the last decade, the plan generally followed was to so sub- 
divide the country districts as to reduce the distance between home 
and school. During the last eight years an opposite policy has been 
pursued — that of uniting several districts to form a larger school, 
with better building, longer term, more thorough instruction, and 
free transportation of pupils, 

Besides the free education afforded every child in Minnesota, 
free text books are furnished by more than two-thirds of the districts • 
and last year's statistics showed that we had nearly 6,000 libraries 
in our public schools, more than half of them in the rural or common 
school districts. Half the cost of establishing and maintaining these 
libraries is met by the state. 

The public schools are supported partly through local taxation, 
and partly by indirect state aid, through the one-mill state tax and 



62 



EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES 




EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES 



63 



the income arising out of the permanent school fund. In addition, 
special state aid is granted : $1,500 to high .schools, $550 to graded 
schools, $250 to semigraded, and $125 and $50, respectivly, to the 
two classes of rural schools. The high and graded schools are under 
the supervision of the state high school board, which fixes the stand- 
ard they must reach before they can receive the special state aid. 
There are now 147 graded schools in the smaller towns and villages. 
These schools maintain from four to six departments, are in session 
nine months, and instruct in all branches leading to high school work. 
The 201 high schools of the state offer free instruction to any pupil in 
Minnesota, which is one; of the few states giving entirely free high 
school tuition. Each high school that maintains satisfactorily a nor- 
mal training department, giving special instruction in the common 
branches, with a view to fitting for teaching, is awarded $750 anually, 
in consonance with the general scheme of state aid; and 11 high 
schools received this amount last year. 

Semigraded and rural schools are supervised by the county super- 
intendent and he recommends to the state superintendent 
such of them as he considers entitled to the special state 
aid. This state encouragement of public education, particularly 
in the rural districts, has greatly tended to increase their efficiency. 
By means of it, better buildings are provided, terms are lengthened, 
higher salaries are paid to teachers — and the schools have altogether 
reached a more definite and satisfactory standard. At this time 
no other state in the Mississippi valley has so large a number of school 
buildings sanitarily and adequately equipped with heating and ven- 
ating apparatus. 

The five state normal schools, at Winona, Mankato, St. Cloud, 
Moorhead, and Duluth, train directly for public school service. 
Collectively, they enroll over 1,700 in their normal training depart- 
ments. Each school also maintains a model training department, 
in which those in attendance are both taught, and instructed to 
teach. Tuition is free, the one obligation being that the student, 
after graduation, give at least two years' time to public school work 
in the state. The five normals are well represented by their stu- 
dents and graduates in every county in Minnesota. 

The public school system finds its highest development in its 
splendid university. Not only is the attendance equal to that of 
any one of the four or five largest universities of the country, 
but in its variety of courses of study, in its colleges of law, medicine, 
engineering and agriculture, in the full and thorough equipment of 
every department, in the efficient service rendered by its instructors, 
and in the high standard of administration maintained by President 
Northrup, it takes rank with the foremost institutions of higher learn- 
ing in America, The school of agriculture is, in many respects, the 
best organized school of this kind in the Union. It offers thorough, 
practical instruction for the boys and girls from the farm, its main 



G4 



EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES 



object being so to educate them as to enable them to return to their 
home trained to take up scientifically dairying, the breeding, feeding 
and care of stock, the cultivation of grains and vegetables, tree plant- 
ing and growing, preservation, and stimulation of the .soil, carpentry 
and blacksmi thing.- A short course of six weeks in mechanic arts, 
domestic science, and other industrial lines, is planned for the com- 
ing summer. This is designed especially for the country teacher, so 
that he may be in a position to relate his work more directly to the 
normal environment of the child. 

Every year throughout the -state, as the needs of the various sec- 
tions and of the whole demand, are held country training schools for 
teachers lasting from four to six weeks. The purpose of these is to 
provide academic instruction, to give pedagogical training in the 
theory and art of teaching,, and to afford the county superintendent 
the means of presenting plans for providing definitely and directly 
the educational interests of his county. The influence of these 
schools, supervised by the leading educational men and women of 
the state, can scarcely be overestimated, and their course is offered 
without the fee charged in most other states for attendance. The 
summer school held annually at the state university is one of those 
having- six weeks' session, and, with its numerous facilities for suc- 
cessful operation, never fails to draw to it a large body of students, 
the enrollment last year reaching 1,039. 

It has for some years been the practice to hold a six weeks' train- 
ing school at each of the state normals, but in 1907 this was super- 
seded, under legislative act, by a summer session of twelve weeks 
under the direction of the state normal board, to be part of and the 
same in all respects as the regular session of the school. 

And it is not only of its closely articulated system of public edu- 
cation, beginning with the rural school and ending with the state 
university, that Minnesota has reason to be proud. It has many 
and excellent private schools, academies and colleges, maintained 
by various denominations, or founded and kept up by the endow- 
ment of individuals. Moreover, the state has established a system 
of free traveling libraries, the purpose of which is to furnish reading 
matter to the small villages and country communities that cannot 
afford public libraries, and to assist small public, libraries that cannot 
make frequent purchases of books. At the beginning of 1907 there 
were about 19,000 volumes in these free libraries. The Public 
School Library Commission, having them in charge, also encourages 
the establishment of local public libraries in communities able to 
support them. These now number 97, and the number is added to 
yearly. 

From this brief statement, it may be seen, that no one leaving 
an old established community, with all possible educational advan- 
tages, need hesitate to come to Minnesota in the fear that he will not 
find the same or greater opportunities for himself and family here. 



Minnesota's Summer Resorts. 



With a water area greater than any other state or territory in the Unit- 
ed States, and amounting to a trifle over 5,600 square miles, exclusive of 
Lake Superior, and divided into over 10,000 small lakes, is it a wonder 
that Minnesota is recognized as the greatest natural summer resort in the 
country? 

All of these lakes are small, ranging in size from 1 to 30 miles in diam- 
eter, and are distributed quite equally over the state, excepting in the 
southwestern corner, and in the southeastern portion of the state where 
very few lakes are found, while in the noted "park region" which is gen- 
erally referred to as central Minnesota, we find large and small lakes in 
close proximity. 

Minnesota occupies the most elevated plateau between the Mexican 
Gulf and the Hudson Bay, the average elevation being 1,200 feet above the 
level of the sea. Fogs and prolonged damp weather are almost unknown. 
The general dryness of the atmosphere makes the region a very healthful 
one. This is evidenced by the fact that the city of St. Paul rceived the 
highest award at the Paris Exposition of 1900 as the healthiest city in the 
world. 

Although there is plenty of warm weather during the summer, the 
heat is not excessive. Observations conducted at St. Paul, extending 
over a period of more than twenty-five years, show the mean summer tem- 
perature as 70.6 degrees. During the hottest week of the season the 
thermometer registered on an average from 85 to 90 degrees. The dry- 
ness of the air prevents the heat from being oppressive, and the nights are 
always refreshingly cool. 

To be at a lake in Minnesota is to be where the very best varieties of 
fish abound, for the lakes of Minnesota without exception teem with game 
fish and are kept well stocked with fry from our state hatcheries. Pages 
could be written describing the wondrous charms of Minnesota's beautiful 
lakes whose clear, cool waters, pebbly bottoms and shady shores present an 
alluring picture to the tired and worn city dweller, while the darting bass 
and pike, which are found in every lake, afford an irresistible attraction 
to the enthusiastic fisherman. A peculiar fact is that the Minnesota 
lakes and summer resorts are not confined to one part of the state alone, 
for one may visit at any number of lakes near cities, on electric line, with 
modern hotels and every late improvement, or you can go far from the 



SUMMER RESORTS 



67 



city, or even from habitation, and pitch your tent on the wild shore of a 
beautiful northern Minnesota lake, or beside the rushing brook in a pri- 
meval forest of the north, and find yourself "alone with nature." 

In close proximity to almost all Minnesota lakes, hardwood timber is 
found in abundance, and the camper who wishes to rough it and enjoy the 
pleasures of genuine camp life, finds fuel easy to get, while innumerable 
springs gush forth an abundant supply of clear, cold water. 

You should spend your vacation in Minnesota because it is a place 
of beauty, of health, of joyous out-door life, of fishing, of hunting, of ac- 
cessibility. Its lofty hills, graceful slopes, verdant nooks, crystal streams, 
limpid lakes, innumerable pleasure resorts, boating, fishing, out-door 
sports, will make you, physically and mentally, stronger, purer and nobler. 

Among the many summer resorts famous in the large cities, as well as 
many of the southern states, are : Osakis, Alexandria, Grey Eagle, An- 
nandale, Walker, Bemidji, Cass Lake, Detroit, Ortonville, Taylors Falls, 
Fairmount, Lindstrom, Chisago City, Glen wood, Battle Lake, Clear Lake, 
Clitherall, Sylvan, Wright, Turtle Eiver, Forest Lake, White Bear, Min- 
netonka, South Haven, Otter Tail, Dorset, 

Information relative to any summer resort in the state will be fur- 
nished upon application to this department. 

While Minnesota's lakes, with their excellent fishing, are a drawing 
card for summer tourists and followers of "Isaac Walton," through the 
summer months, fall, with its unexcelled sport in forest and field, is an- 
other important feature in Minnesota's natural pleasures. Go in any part 
of the state, and you will find an abundance of game in the fall of the 
year. On the prairies of southern and western Minnesota the stubble 
fields at fall time furnish excellent sport, for in these parts the turtle dove, 
snipe, prairie chicken, pinnated, white breasted or sharp tailed grouse, 
woodcock, upland plover and golden plover are found in great number, 
while later on in the fall geese and ducks are found to some extent, par- 
ticularly the latter, who pay their annual visit to the lakes and streams 
of this region, while many geese and brant make their feeding ground on 
our western wheat fields. 

In the timbered portions of the state, viz. : eastern, central and north- 
ern Minnesota, the quail, partridge, ruffle grouse and pheasant make their 
home, and in the dense thickets, which are found in many parts of this 
region, the partridge are found in abundance, while quail and grouse 
are taken in limited numbers. Many ducks of all varieties are also found 
in the rice beds of the many lakes and streams, and some geese are in evi- 
dence. 

In the great woods to the north, still timidly clinging to their favorite 
haunt, though now on the fringe of civilization, the white tail deer are 
found in abundance, while moose and bear are occasionally seen, but the 
elk and caribou are practically extinct. Stringent laws protecting the 
game and fish of Minnesota have been passed by our legislature, and a 
state commission, assisted by a corps of competent wardens, keep these 
laws strictly enforced, and the good work is already in evidence, for it is 



68 



SUMMER RESORTS 



now conceded beyond a doubt that wild game in this state, particularly deer, 
prairie chickens and partridges, are becoming more plentiful each year, 
while the successful propagation of all kinds of fish in our state fish hatch- 
eries fortells the fact that Minnesota's lakes will never become destitute of 
fish. 

Fur bearing animals of nearly all varieties are found along the lakes 
and streams, even in the highly developed portions of the state, while fur- 
ther to the north, in the sparsely settled districts, fox, wolf and all other 
fur bearing animals are found in great numbers, and trapping is follow- 
ed quite extensively by many of the settlers with profitable results. In 
the deer country, the wolves are a menace to the deer, and the state is 
paying a liberal bounty for every wolf killed. 

A fair idea of the vastness of this area, where big game abounds (which 
forms but a small part of Minnesota's park region), may be observed by- 
noting that it is greater than New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, 
Connecticut and Ehode Island combined. 

Comfortable hotels in hundreds of picturesque nooks, upon lakes 
teeming with bass and pike, in nearly all parts of the state, and accessible 
to well equipped lines of railway, bid the traveler welcome, while deeper in 
the wilderness, by rushing brook to which the trail of the deer are well 
defined, you can find the cabin of the pioneer or hermit, hunter or trap- 
per, and experience tells us that the "latchstring is always out" and a 
hearty welcome invariably greets the ears of the visitor. It is a chance 
for you to lay aside your business cares, forget about your busy office in the 
congested city, or your stuffy school room and the busy hum of work, and 
spend a vacation in Minnesota, for a vacation here is one long to be re- 
membered, and one that brings you health, rest and strength. 

From early in the summer until late in the fall the Grand Old State 
of Minnesota offers many charms to the summer tourists, and the volume 
of visitors from distant states, who come here each year to enjoy the nat- 
ural pleasures of the state, grows greater with each succeeding year, but 
so extensive are the state's resources along this particular line it will 
continue to increase for years to come. 



Mineral Wealth of Minnesota. 



The wealth of Minnesota's iron mines is more a matter of conjecture 
than fact, for no one knows their actual value, and no one wishes to ven- 
ture an opinion, for just how large an area these mines embrace cannot be 
clearly estimated, for during the past eighteen months many rich beds of 
ore have been discovered in all parts of St. Louis and Itasca counties, and 
now eager prospectors are drilling in many of the counties in the north- 
eastern part of the state, running as far south as Morrison and Otter Tail 
counties. Options on large tracts of land are being purchased by various 
mining companies, aud many are of the opinion that practically the whole 
northeastern part of the state is underlaid with a rich bed of iron ore. 
However, as it is, Minnesota furnishes over two-thirds of the iron which 
is mined in the United States, and its products exceed those of any other 
one nation on the globe, excepting Spain and Great Britain, and at the 
present rate of progress of this great industry Minnesota will soon out- 
strip even these countries. 

The first mining and shipping of ore was done in 1884, but so rich 
have the mines proved to be, together with the numerous new discoveries 
in that immediate neighborhood, many railroads have been built into 
that region, and now long trains are hurrying backward and forward de- 
positing their wealth of ore on the Great Lakes boats, which float it to the 
markets of the world. The quality of nearly every ton of this ore is of 
an exceedingly high grade, and Minnesota ore is regarded among the best 
in the world. 

It is less than 25 years since the first mining was done in St. Louis 
county, and but twelve years since the opening of the Missabe Eange, a 
vaster storehouse of hidden wealth than has elsewhere been found. Along 
these two ranges, which are termed the "Iron Country," over 75,000 people 
are living and directly supported by this industry. The iron they dig 
from the earth furnishes business to three great railroads that have spent 
for additional equipment since 1905 not far from $2,500,000. These 
three roads employ about 5,000 men, and a similar number is engaged in 
the lake transportation of ore from Duluth, Two Harbors and Superior to 
the great furnaces of the east. It is not out of the way to estimate that 
more than 250,000 people within the state of Minnesota derive their sup- 
port from these mines, to say nothing of the mammoth market which 
thev furnish for Minnesota farm produce and manufactured goods. In 
addition to this, a mammoth steel plant is now being erected at Duluth 
which will cost over $10,000,000 when completed and will employ thous- 
ands of men. It costs about $2,500,000 a year to administer the affairs 
of the state of Minnesota. This figure includes the state institutions for 
dependents of various classes, its penal and corrective service, its depart- 
ments and bureaus, its legislative, executive and judicial functions; all, 
in fact, of its activity. Of all this sum, the iron ore railroads, limited 
to one small corner of the state and practically all in one county, pay 



70 



MINERAL WEALTH 



about one-fifth. They pay nearly one-third of all the taxes contributed 
by the railroads of the state, including the many great lines centering at 
Minneapolis and St. Paul. This tax upon the railways is but a small 
part of the sums flowing into the state treasury from the mining enter- 
prises of Minnesota. The mines themselves paid in 1906 about $600,000 
in direct taxes, and will undoubtedly grow greater, so that more than a 
million a year is now being derived from the mining industry of the state. 
The state owns thirty-five mines which were discovered on state lands 
and are operated by various companies on lease, and the state is re- 
ceiving a royalty of 25 cents per ton on every ton of iron ore taken from 
the mines. This immense sum, which is growing greater each year, is 
rapidly swelling our handsome, permanent school fund, which at the 
present time amounts in all to about $19,000,000, and it may be proper 
to explain that this immense amount of money is absolute, permanent and 
can never be used, for only the interest is available. However, the inter- 
est which is 4% on this magnificent sum is a source of great revenue to 
our public schools, and is growing greater each year. The state owns 
many thousand acres of land in the "iron country, " and while it is being 
gradually disposed of, our legislature has thrown a safeguard around the 
state's interests, and reserved the mineral right on every acre of land dis- 
posed of. 

Along the northern boundary and trending eastward from Lake of 
the Woods is a mineralized formation, in which it is said traces of gold, 
silver and nickel are found, while large deposits of alumina clay, abra- 
sive material, valuable stone and marble are known to exist, but as yet 
are practically untouched. However, the day is not far distant when 
these valuable materials will be explored, and if their supposed wealth is 
evident, will be turned to commercial use. 

In various counties throughout the southern and central portions of 
Minnesota we find inexhaustible quarries of valuable granite, limestone 
and sandstone, which are furnishing material for some of the largest and 
most beautiful buildings in the country. A sample of the products of 
many of the stone quarries in this state can be seen by paying a visit to 
our new state capitol, tyhere stone from quarries at St. Cloud, Ortonville, 
Kettle River, Winona, Kasota and Mankato can be seen at their best 
Numerous beds of the very best clay are found throughout the state, and 
Minnesota building and paving brick are recognized to be among the 
best. This clay is also very suitable for the manufacture of pottery. At 
Eed Wing, a thriving city on the banks of the Mississippi River, south 
pf St. Paul, all kinds of pottery, earthenware and sewer pipes are manu- 
factured from clay found there, and it is one of the largest manufacturing 
plants in the state. 

While Minnesota is not considered a mineral state, her vast deposits 
of iron ore, her numerous beds of clay, and mammoth quarries of stone 
have helped to place the name "Minnesota" within the manufacturing 
circles and made her a recognized factor to American CQnymerce. 



Minnesota's Eighty-Five Counties. 



ANOKA COUNTY. 

Anoka county was organized May 23, 1857, with the county seat at 
Anoka, and is situated in the eastern part of the state, just north of Hen- 
nepin and Eamsey counties, the Mississippi river forming its southern 
boundary. 

The county is within twenty-five miles of the cities of Minneapolis 
and St. Paul, and 125 miles of Duluth, being connected with these cities 
by the Great Northern and Northern Pacihc Eailroads, which traverse 
directly through the center and on the eastern and western boundaries of 
the county. 

The soil is composed of a deep, rich, black loam, and a sandy loam 
with a clay subsoil. The surface is undulating prairie, interspersed with 
groves of native timber, and traversed by tributaries of the Mississippi, 
Rum and Sunrise rivers which form a complete drainage system for the 
county. 

The county comprises 444.98 square miles, or 284,786.48 acres of 
which 271,925.66 acres are land, and 12,860.82 acres are water, the land 
surface is divided into 1372 farms at an average value of $28.29 per acre. 

Nearly every farm house in this county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery; local and long distance telephone system, and is 
within easy access to the markets of Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth. 
There are also four newspapers in the county. 

The county had a population in 1905 of 12,113 divided as follows: 
native born, 2212; Minnesota born, 6928; Germany, 336; Sweden, 1123; 
Norway, 248; Great Britain and Ireland, 770; Denmark, 106; Australia, 
61 ; other countries, 64; their occupation being chiefly farming, although 
the county has 55 manufacturing plants with a capital invested of $1,- 
235,894. 

The cereal crop, and average bushels per acre, according to the last 
statistics, are as follows: wheat, 15.39 bushels; oats, 32.39 bushels; corn, 
27.59 bushels; barley, 25.52 bushels; rye, 12.01 bushels; buckwheat, 
13.15 bushels. 

Timothy, clover and other cultivated grasses grow abundantly and 
show an average yield of 1.75 tons per acre. 

Vegetables are the principal product of Anoka county. Her potatoes 
are known the world over and show an average yield of 110 bushels; on- 
ions, 147 bushels, while miscellaneous vegetables show an average value 
of $41.10 per acre. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying and fruit raising are 
very prominent industries. In 1906 the county had three creameries, 
with an output of 225,228 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county 



AITKIN COUNTY 



7S 



for 1908 was as follows: horses, 4161, average value per head, $60; 
cattle, 13,575, average per head, $20.24; sheep, 770, average value per 
head, $3.48; swine, 3288, average value per head, $5.28. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in real property for 1908 
was 3.057,599, and of personal $587,972. 

The county has three banks, the deposits of which are, $708,169.28. 
It also has 68 rural schools, two graded schools, one high school, one 
private school, and 29 churches with denominations as follows: Catho- 
lic, Methodist-Episcopal, Congregational, Baptist, Episcopal, Universal- 
ist, Presbyterian, Swedish Lutheran, Swedish Baptist, Swedish Metho- 
dist, Free Church, Adventist and German Lutheran. 

There is one city and two villages within the limits of the county, 
viz.: Anoka, city, population, 4053; Bethel, village, population, 167; 
Columbia Heights, village, population, 146. 

In Anoka county you can buy good, wild farm land at from $12.50 
to $25 per acre, while improved land can be had at from $25 to $50 per 
acre according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

AITKIN COUNTY. 

This county was organized May 23rd, 1857, with the county seat at 
Aitkin, and is situated in the eastern part of the state about 100 miles 
north of the Twin Cities, being connected therewith by the Great North- 
ern, Northern Pacific, and Soo railroads which form excellent transporta- 
tion facilities for the county. 

The surface of the county was originally covered with a dense growth 
of timber, such as pine, maple, oak, ash, butternut and basswood, which 
has nearly all been cut. 

The soil is a black loam and a sandy loam with a clay subsoil, and is 
very productive. The county is well watered and drained by the Mis- 
sissippi and its tributaries. 

The area of the county is 1994.97 square miles, or 1,276,782.38 
acres, of which 1,165,691.9 acres are land, and 111,090.48 acres are 
water. 

The land surface is divided into 1,462 farms at an average value per 
acre of $10.08. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 16.71 bu. ; oats, 32.24 bu. ; corn, 36.52 bu. ; 
barley, 24.26 bu.; rye, 17.94 bu.; flax, 10 bu.; buckwheat, 21 bu. 

The hay crop averaged 1.87 tons per acre. In vegetables, potatoes 
had an average of 99.35 bu. ; onions, 206.5 bu. ; and miscellaneous vege- 
tables had an average value per acre of $48.44. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on quite ex- 
tensively in this county. The live stock of the county for 1908 was as 
follows: horses, 2735 — average value per head, $56.70; cattle, 9251 — 
average value per head, $19.32; sheep, 2625 — average value per head, 
$2.29 ; swine, 1565 — average value per head, $4.77. 



74 



BECKER COUNTY 



The population of the county in 1905 was 9537' of which 6583 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 217; 
Sweden, 1333; Norway, 278; Great Britain and Ireland, 489; JDenmark, 
68; Finland, 419; other countries, 60. Their occupations are the vari- 
ous agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries, of 
which the county has 25 with an invested capital of $321,523.00. 

The county has two banks, the deposits of which are $334,293.85. It 
has 83 rural schools, 14 graded schools, 2 high schools and 42 churches, 
divided as follows : Catholic, 5 ; Methodist, 12 ; Episcopal, 1 ; Congrega- 
tional, 12; Baptist, 2; Swedish M. E., 11; Swedish Lutheran, 7; and 
Free Mission, 2. 

The county has 3 villages, viz. : Aitkin, population, 1896 ; Hill City, 
85 ; and McGregor, 172. It also has 3 newspapers. 

On Jan. 1, 3 909, there were in this county 48,506 acres of state school 
lands unsold, also 1960 acres of government land sub jest to homestead 
entry. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in real property for 1908 
was $4,231,408 and of personal $398,094. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $5.00 an acre and upwards, 
according to location and improvements. 

BECKER COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 18, 1858, with the county seat at 
Detroit, and is situated almost in the center of the celebrated park region 
of Minnesota. 

It is about 150 miles from Duluth at the head of the lakes; about 
the same distance from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and about 
50 miles from the cities of Crookston and Moorhead, all of which afford 
a market for the products grown and manufactured in the county. 

It is connected with the above named cities by the Northern Pacific 
Railroad, which runs across the southern part of the county, and the 
"Soo" Eailroad which runs northward through the center of the county. 

The soil is very rich, being a dark loam, and sandy loam with a clay 
subsoil. The surface is rolling prairie, interspersed with heavy groves 
of timber, and is traversed by the following rivers: Ottertail, Buffalo, 
Pelican, Redeye, Shell and Food. These, with the numerous lakes, form 
a perfect drainage system for the county. 

Nearly every township in the county has one or more beautiful lakes 
for which the county is celebrated, where the sportsman will find all kinds 
of fish, while the timbered tracts abound with game. 

The county contains 1,445.41 square miles, or 925,060.75 acres of 
which 836,687.09 acres are land, and 88,373.66 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 2,480 farms, with an average value of 
$22.05 per acre. 



BELTRAMI COUNTY 



75 



The county is well supplied with United States rural free deliveries, 
and local and long distance telephone is within easy reach of all inhabi- 
tants. There are also three newspapers in the county. 

The county had a population m 1905 of 18,490 of which 2,680 were 
native born; 9071 Minnesota born, the foreign population being as fol- 
lows: Germany, 776; Sweden, 9o8; Norway, I6b4; Great Britain and 
Ireland, 473; Denmark, 122; Finland, 364; Kussia, 67; other countries, 
39. Their occupations are agricultural pursuits, together with the vari- 
ous manufacturing industries of which the county has 49, with an in- 
vested capital of $627,000. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre for 1907, was as follows: 
wheat, 16.3 bu. ; oats, 28 bu.; corn, 32.4 bu.; barley, 27.5. bu.; rye, 11.2 
bu. ; flax, 14 bu. ; buckwheat, 11 bu. 

The hay crop for 1907, comprising timothy, clover and other cultivat- 
ed grasses, averaged two tons per acre. 

In the vegetable crop, potatoes averaged 74 bushels; onions, 140 
bushels; and miscellaneous vegetables had an average value of $40 per 
acre. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying and small fruit raising 
are carried on extensively. In 1906 the county had eight creameries, the 
output of which was 468,158 lbs. of butter; also, one cheese factory with 
an output of 31,229 lbs. of cheese. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 7,940, 
average value per head, $59.62; cattle, 22,647, average value per head, 
$15.49; sheep, 6,590, average value per head, $1.82; swine, 4,904, average 
value per head, $6.58. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in real property for 1908 
was $5,132,683, and of personal $1,366,973. 

The county has seven banks with deposits of $1,055,000. It has 98 
rural schools, 16 graded schools, three high schools, and 65 churches with 
denominations as follows : Catholic, Methodist-Episcopal, Baptist, Con- 
gregational, Episcopal, German Lutheran, Swedish Lutheran, Norwegian 
Lutheran, Finnish Lutheran, Eree Lutheran, Seven-day Adventists and 
Latter-day Saints. 

There is one city and five villages in the county, viz. : Detroit city, 
population, 2,149; Erazee, 1,148; Lake Park, 674; Audubon, 316; Rich- 
wood, 97; Osage, 79. 

On January 1, 1909, there were in this county 11,792 acres of State 
school land unsold. 

In this county you can buy good, wild land at from $5 to $15 per 
acre, while improved land can be had from $15 to $30 per acre, accord- 
ing to improvements and proximity to markets. 

BELTRAMI COUNTY. 

This county was organized Eebruary 28, 1866, with the county seat 
Bemidji, and is located in the northern part of the state, its northern 
boundary being the Lake of the Woods and the Eainy Eiver which sep- 
arates the county from Canada. 



BELTRAMI COUNTY 




Exhibit of Products of Cut-over Lands, Beltrami 
County Fair, Sept. 25-6-7, 1907. 




Sample of a New Road in Northern Minnesota. 



BELTRAMI COUNTY 



77 



The surface of the county is generally level, with a gradual slope to- 
wards the north, in which direction all the streams trend. The county 
was covered with a heavy growth of pine, maple, ash, birch, oak, bass- 
wood, elm, tamarac, etc., a large part of which is still standing. 

The soil is a clay loam, and sandy loam, with a rich vegetable mold, 
the accumulation of centuries, the subsoil is clay of various depths. 

The area of the county is 4,962.29 square miles or 2,515,941.77 acres, 
of which 1,869,724.08 acres are land, and 646,217.69 acres are water. 
The land surface is divided into 2032 farms at an average value per acre 
of $8.68. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last sta- 
tistics, were as follows: wheat, 17.64 bu. ; oats, 27.61 bu'. ; corn, 24.6 
bu. ; barley, 19.8 bu. ; flax, 8.8 bu. ; buckwheat, 10 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.88 tons per acre, and in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 104.42 bu. ; onions, 118.2 bu. ; and miscellaneous vege- 
tables had an average value per acre of $53.43. 

In addition to the above, dairying, live stock, poultry and small fruit 
raising are carried on. In 1906 the county had one creamery with an 
output of 561,600 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county for 1908 
was as follows : horses, 2,737, average value per head, $83.06 ; cattle, 6,- 
948, average value per head, $21.98 ; sheep, 2,055, average value per head, 
$2.32; swine, 1,782, average value per head, $6.48. 

The county is well supplied with United States rural free deliveries, 
telephones, and transportation facilities, having 4 railroads, viz. : Great 
. Northern, Minnesota International, Minneapolis, Eed Lake & Manitoba, 
and the Canadian Northern. It also has 9 newspapers. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 14,312, of which 9,220 were 
native born. The foreign population being as follows: Germany, 322; 
Sweden, 744; Norwa}^ 1,381; Great Britain and Ireland, 880; Denmark, 
109; Finland, 55; Kussia, 49; other countries, 76. Their occupations 
being the various agricultural pursuits and lumbering, together with man- 
ufacturing industries of which the county has 51, with an invested capi- 
tal of $391,014. 

The county has 7 banks, the deposits of which are $583,863.00. It 
has 58 rural schools, 7 graded schools, 1 high school and 34 churches 
with denominations as follows : Catholic, Norwegian, Swedish and Ger- 
man Lutheran, Presbyterian, Congregational, Methodist-Episcopal and 
Baptist. 

. . ^-.^^ 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 in real property 
was $5,558,742.00 and of personal $1,349,551.00. There are 11 villages 
within the county, viz.: Beaudette, population, 199; Bemidji, 3,800; 
Blackduck, 702; Funkley, 60 ; Kelliher, 233; Nymore, 527; Farley, 65; 
Solway, 71; Spooner, 94; Turtle Biver, 228; and Tenstrike Centre, 349. 



78 



BENTON COUNTY 



On January 1, 1909, there were in this county 21,245 acres of state 
school land unsold, also 691,670 acres of government land subject to 
homestead entry. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $5.00 per acre and upwards, 
according to location and improvements. 



BENTON COUNTY. 

This county was organized October 27, 1849, with the county seat 
at Sauk Rapids, which was later changed to Foley, the present county 
seat. The county is situated a little to the east of the central portion of 
the state, about 75 miles from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, 
being connected therewith by the Great Northern and Northern Pacific 
railroads which furnish ample transportation facilities for the county. 

The soil is rich, dark loam with a clay subsoil. The surface was 
originally covered with a dense growth of timber, the principal varieties 
being oak, maple, ash, basswood and tamarac. This has been cleared, and 
where once dense forests stood are now thriving villages and farms. 

The county is well drained by the St. Francis, Elk, Platte, Little 
Eock and Mississippi rivers. 

The area of the county is 406.36 square miles, or 260,074.31 acres, 
of which 257,798.9 acres are land, and 2,275.41 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 2,429 farms at an average value per acre of 
$21.07. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with rural free de- 
livery, and local and long-distance telephones are within reach of all. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 11,256, of which 8,492 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows : Germany, 1,420 ; 
Sweden, 479; Norway, 184; Great Britain and Ireland, 365; Denmark, 
35; Poland, 148; Austria, 41; France, 16; other countries, 76. Their 
occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with manu- 
facturing industries of which the county has 23, with an invested capital 
of $1,300,000. Among the manufacturing industries is the largest pa- 
per manufacturing plant in the state of Minnesota. The cereal crop, 
and average bushel per acre, according to last statistics, were as follows : 
wheat, 16.36 bu. ; oats, 31.19 bu. ; corn, 18.22 bu. ; barley, 18.64 bu. ; rye, 
10.3 bu.; flax, 11.12 bu. ; buckwheat, 9.24 bu. The hay crop averaged 
1.67 tons per acre, and in vegetables, potatoes averaged 110.89; onions, 
186.66 bushels, and miscellaneous vegetables had an average value per 
acre of $38.69. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying and fruit raising are 
quite extensively carried on. In 1906 the county had 5 creameries with 
an output of 646,010 lbs. of butter; also, one cheese factory, the output of 
which was 31,229 lbs. of cheese. 



BIGSTONE COUNTY 



79 



The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 4,938, 
average value per head, $52.78 ; cattle, 19,924, average value per head, 
$12.61; sheep, 3,325, average value per head, $1.73; swine, 5,352, aver- 
age value per head, $1.75. 

The county has four banks, the deposits of which are $450,000. It 
has 56 rural schools, 4 graded schools, 2 high schools, 3 private schools, 
and 19 churches with denominations as follows: Catholic, Lutheran, 
Methodist, Congregational, Episcopal, Adventist, Presbyterian and Bap- 
tist. It also has three newspapers. 

Within the borders of the county there is one city, and four villages, 
viz.: St. Cloud, city (part of), population, 1,029; Foley, village, 428; 
Eonneby, 100; Eice, 259; Sauk Eapids, 1,552. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in real property for 1908 
was $2,174,612, and in personal $574,694. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $15 an acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

BIGSTOfrE COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20, 1862, with the county seat 
at Ortonville. It receives its name from the large granite boulders along 
the Minnesota river, which are now worked as quarries and have become 
famous by furnishing the large columns in the Minnesota State Capitol ; 
the Hennepin county court house is also erected from the same material. 
The prairie land is with few exceptions free from stone, just enough to 
provide proper material for foundations and bridge work. 

The county is bordered on the west by Big Stone Lake, 35 miles long. 
This with the many other beautiful lakes and rivers is stocked with all 
varieties of fish such as Bass, Pike, Pickerel, etc., and sportsmen from 
long distances come here on account of its famous fishing. But the 
beauty of the lakes with their woocfed shores and timbered covered isl- 
ands attracts others besides Sportsmen. A Chatauqua is maintained for 
the entertainment and instruction of visitors as well as the inhabitants of 
the county. 

The area of the county is 536.31 square miles, or 343,234.75 acres 
of which 316,497.42 acres are land, and 26,737.33 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 1,043 farms at an average value per 
acre of $28.32. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 9,474 of which 702 were 
native born. The foreign population was as follows : Germany, 467 ; 
Sweden, 602; Norway, 584 ; Great Britain and Ireland, 4,628; Denmark, 
87; Eussia, 15; other countries, 55. 

Their occupations being the various agricultural pursuits, together 
with manufacturing industries of which the county has 45, with an in- 
vested capital of $141,594.00. 



BIGSTONE COUNTY 




CASS COWf COURT HOUSE 



BLUE EARTH COUNTY 



81 



The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last sta- 
tistics, were as follows : wheat, 13.9 bu. ; oats, 31.3 bu. ; corn, 24.28 bu. ; 
barley, 24.9 bu.; rye, 13.33 bu.; flax, 10.59 bu.; buckwheat, 15. bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.69 tons per acre, and in vegetables, 
potatoes average 90.9 bu. ; onions, 129.5 bu. ; and miscellaneous vege- 
tables had an average value of $35.90 per acre. 

In addition to the above dairying, live stock and fruit raising are 
quite extensively carried on. In 1906 the county had 3 creameries with 
an output of 182,945 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county for 
1908 was as follows: horses, 7,12?', average value per head, $54.97; cat- 
tle, 11,707, average value per head, $17.97; sheep, 8,415, average value 
per head, $3.48 ; swine, 8,302, average value per head, $4.37. 

The county has 9 banks, the deposits of which are $7S6,566.79. It 
has 57 rural schools, 5 graded schools, 2 high schools, and 29 churches 
with denominations as follows: Congregational, Catholic, Methodist, 
Swedish, Norwegian and German Lutheran, Evangelical, Baptist and 
Episcopal Mission. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with rural free 
delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

The county is well supplied with transportation facilities, having the 
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, and Great Northern railroads which tra- 
verse all parts of the county. 

There is one city and seven villages within the borders of the county, 
viz. : Ortonville, population, 1,612 ; Graceville, 1,032 ; Beardsley, 441 ; 
Clinton, 400; Odessa, 250; Barry, 180 ; Carroll, 120; and Johnson, 224. 
It has also 5 newspapers. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in real property for 1908 
was $3,649,100. and in personal $802,074. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $20 per acre and upwards 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

BLUE EARTH COUNTY. 

This countv was organized in 1853, with the county seat at Mankato, 
and is 86 miles from St. Paul and Minneapolis, 130 miles to the Wis- 
consin line, 130 miles to the Dakota line and 60 miles to the Iowa line, 
this being practieallv the exact center of southern Minnesota. 

Four lines of railway operate here. Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul & 
Omaha. Northwestern, Chicago Great Western and Chicago, Milwaukee 
& St. Paul. 

The soil is the happy varieties of the pure black loam, clav and sandy 
mixtures, which insures production and guarantees long life without arti- 
ficial enrichment. Within its borders are the Minnesota. Blue Earth, 
Le Sueur. Watonwan, Little and Big Cobb rivers. Fifteen large fishing 
lakes and numerous small ones, nearlv all of which are surrounded by 
timber making them attractive and useful. 



S2 



BLUE EARTH COUNTY 



The upper part of the county was once heavily timbered, most of 
which has been cut, but here and there are virgin timbered tracts which 
are delightful to view and very valuable. 

The county contains about 750 square miles of desirable agricultural 
lands, lower or south part prairie. The Minneopa State Park, situated 
five miles from Mankato, is one of the most beautiful spots under the 
sun. Within this park is a fall almost the equal of Minnehaha, heavy 
timber of a dozen varieties, rocks similar to and surely a garden of the 
Gods, also a ravine caring for Minneopa creek, 150 feet deep. 

No very large farming is carried on as the county is cut up into those 
of 40 to 320 acres, thus enabling the population to maintain its count, 
being about 33,000. 

Sural delivery routes now reach practically all parts of the county, 
while telephone service is general and it is an exception where a farmer 
cannot avail himself of the opportunity to install one. 

The population is made up of many nationalities, Germans predomi- 
nating, then Scandinavian and Welsh. 

The cereal crop and average bushels per acre, according to last sta- 
tistics, were as follows: wheat, 13.9 bu. ; oats, 40.05 bu. ; corn, 38.39 
bu.; barley, 31.11 bu.; rye, 20.13 bu. ; flax, 11.63 bu. ; buckwheat, 11.44 
bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 2.04 tons per acre, while in vege- 
tables, potatoes averaged 96.5 bushels per acre: onions, 176.7, and miscel- 
laneous vegetables had an average value of $46.67 per acre. In addition to 
the above, dairying, poultry, live stock and fruit raising are carried on 
quite extensively in this county. In 1906 the county had 20 cream- 
eries with an output of 1,765,576 lbs. of butter; also, 3 cheese factories 
with an output of 269,701 lbs. of cheese. The live stock of the county 
for 1908 was as follows: horses, 13,919, average value per head, $55.46 ; 
ca+tle, 38,637, average value per head, $19.10; sheep, 13,310, average 
value per head, $2.7*0 ; swine, 26,494, average value per head, $4.57. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in real property for 1908 
was $10,253,893.00 and in personal $2,376,632.00. 

The county has 15 banks with ample capital for every emergency. 
Churches of nearly all denominations. 

Industries varied. Natural cement, brick, tile, flour, knitting mills, 
stone quarries, employing hundreds of hands throughout the entire year, 
two breweries, malting plant and many others. 

Agricultural land is worth from 40 to 100 dollars per acre, depend- 
ing upon its location, though no farm is now beyond 12 miles from a 
railway station and market. 

The commercial club of Mankato will attend to all correspondence 
and the county will welcome all who come here to look with a view to 
locating. & !" "T 1 

This particular locality is noted for its mild winter, free from snow, 
in only three during the past 25 has the snow been sufficient for good 



BROWN COUNTY 



S3 



use of sleighs. Nearly all the others have passed without the ground 
being covered. 

Plowing is often done here during the last days of November and 
part of December. 

The average value of land in this county for 1907 was $63.04 per 
acre. 

BROWN COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20, 1855, with the county seat 
at New Ulm. It is situated in the southwestern part of Minnesota, about 
60 miles from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being connected 
therewith by the Chicago & Northwestern and Minneapolis & St. Louis 
railroads, which traverse nearly every part of the county. 

The soil is very fertile, being a dark loam with a clay subsoil. The 
surface is undulating prairie traversed by the Minnesota, Cottonwood, 
Little Cottonwood, and Sleepy Eye rivers, which, together with its num- 
erous lakes, form a complete drainage system for the county. 

The county contains 616 square miles, or 394,720 acres of which 387,- 
733 are land, and 6,937 are water. 

The land surface comprises 2,188 farms with an average value per 
acre of $44.07. 

Nearly every home in Brown county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones, which, to- 
gether with its close proximity to the markets of Minneapolis and St. 
Paul, makes it an ideal place for the agriculturist. There are also eleven 
newspapers in the county. 

The county had a population in 1905 of 20,523 of which 15,033 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 3,374; 
Sweden, 182; Norway, 724; Great Britain and Ireland, 206; Denmark, 
318; Austria, 545; Russia, 26; other countries, 115, their occupations be- 
ing the various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing in- 
dustries of which the county has 152, with an invested capital of $1,838,- 
700. The cities of New Ulm and Sleepy Eye are among the large rural 
milling manufacturing centres of the state. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre for 1907 was as follows : 
wheat, 11 bu.; oats, 27 bu. ; corn, 30 bu. ; barley, 30 bu. ; rye, 21 bu. ; 
flax, 9 bu. 

The hay crop for 1907 averaged l]/ 2 tons per acre. 

The vegetable crop was as follows : potatoes, 80 bu. per acre ; onions, 
265.6? bu. per acre, while miscellaneous vegetables had an average value 
of $31.86 per acre. 

Other industries of the county are live stock raising and dairying, 
while fruit, poultry and bees are extensively raised in the county. 

During the year 1906 the county had 16 creameries with an output 
of 1,575,010 lbs. of butter. 



84 



CARLTON COUNTY 



The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows : horses, 10,400, 
average value per head. $59.58 ; cattle, 24,709, average value per head, 
$21.39; sheep, 4,135, average value per head, $2.62; swine, 13,440, aver- 
age value per head, $4.38. 

The assessed valuation of the county in real property for 1908 
was $6,739,811; and in personal property, $1,497,569. 

The county has 13 banks, deposits of which are $3,000,000. It has 
83 rural schools, 2 graded schools, 3 high schools, 2 private schools, and 
35 churches with denominations as follows : Catholic, German Luther- 
an, Swedish Lutheran, Norwegian Lutheran, Danish Lutheran, Evangel- 
ical Association, Evangelical Synod of North America, Congregational, 
Episcopal, Baptist, Methodist-Episcopal and Universalist. 

There are two cities and three villages in the county, viz. : New Ulm, 
city, population, 5,720; Sleepy Eye, city, 2,312; Springfield, village, 
1,546; Hanska, 319; Comfrey, 299. 

Land can be purchased in this county at from $35 to $60 per acre. 

CARLTON COUNTY. 

This county was organized May 23, 1857, with the county seat at 
Carlton. It is situated in the eastern part of the state, and is about 25 
miles from the city of Duluth, and 125 miles from the cities of Minne- 
apolis and St. Paul, all of which afford good markets for products grown 
and manufactured in the county. It is connected with the above named 
cities by the Great Northern, Northern Pacific and Duluth, Missabe & 
Northern railroads, which traverse almost every section of the county. 

Carlton county presents a vast variety of soil, some portions being 
rough and rocky, while in other parts we find large tracts of level land, 
and here the soil is very rich and productive, yielding splendid crops of 
anything that can be raised in Minnesota. By far the largest portion of 
this county is of the latter variety, and the best judges of land in the 
state predict that Carlton county will prove to be one of the finest agri- 
cultural counties in the state. 

Like nearly all of the counties in northern Minnesota, Carlton county 
is a timbered section, and except where we find natural meadows, or an 
occasional rocky hill, the whole surface is covered with a dense growth 
of timber of a mixed variety, such as oak, elm, basswood, popple, maple, 
ash, birch, fir, cedar, tamarac and pine, all being in evidence, and nearly 
all are found to be of excellent quality. 

The Cloquet, Bemidji, Knife and Fork rivers with their tributaries, 
together with the numerous lakes, which are dotted here and there, form 
the drainage system for the county. 

The area of the county is 867.19 square miles, or 555,000 acres, of 
which 548,942.09 acres are land, and 6,057.91 acres are water. 

The land surface comprises 1157 farms at an average value per acre 
of $18.20. 



CARVER COUNTY 



85 



The county is well supplied with United States rural free delivery, 
and local and long distance telephones. It also has tour newspapers. 

The county had a population in 1905 of 15,654, of whicn 5,lo8 are 
native born; 5,748 Minnesota born; Germany, 3o3; bwede^ 1,743; .Nor- 
way, 90? ; Great Britain and Ireland, 1,227; Denmark, 5b; .Poland, 226; 
Finland, 1,759; other countries, 110. Their occupations are the various 
agricultural pursuits, and lumbering, together with the manufacturing 
industries of which the county has #1 with an invested capital of $5,890,- 
086. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre, according to last sta- 
tistics, are as follows: wheat, 15.4 bu.; oats, 27.9 bu.; corn, 30.41 bu.; 
barley, 18.27 bu.; rye, 17.41 bu. ; buckwheat, 17.5 bu. 

The hay crop averaged l J / 2 tons per acre, while in vegetables, pota- 
toes averaged 99.55 buslieis; onions, 179 bushels, and miscellaneous vege- 
tables had an average value per acre of $70.10. 

In addition to the above, live stock raising and dairying are carried 

on. 

In 1906 the county had two creameries, the output of which was 
90,310 lbs. of butter. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 2,960, 
average value per head, $62.89; cattle, 7,351, average value per head, 
$22.73; sheep, 1,405, average value per head, $2.70; swine, 1,206, average 
value per head, $5.06. 

The county has four banks the deposits of which are $822,675. It 
has 45 rural schools, 11 graded schools, 1 high school, and 25 churches, 
the denominations of which are: Lutheran, Catholic, Methodist-Epis- 
copal, Congregational and Baptist. 

The county has one city and six villages, viz. : Cloquet city, popula- 
tion, 6,117; Scanlon village, 1,122; Carlton, 612; Moose Lake, 481; 
Thomson, 456; Barnum, 306; Cromwell, 175. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in real property for 1908 
was $3,214,021 and in personal $2,091,915. 

On January 1st, 1909, there were 6,968 acres of school lands unsold; 
also, 2,600 acres government land subject to homestead entry. 

Land can be bought in this county at from $5 to $30 an acre, accord- 
ing to improvements and proximity to markets. 

CARVEE COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20, 1855, with the county seat 
at Chaska. It is situated in the south central part of the state, about 
40 miles from the Twin Cities, being connected therewith by the Great 
Northern, Minneapolis & St. Louis, and Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul 
railroads which traverse all portions of the county. 

The soil is a deep, fertile, black loam, resting on a clay subsoil. The 
emrface is undulating, drained by numerous lakes, creeks, and the Minne- 
sota river. 



CASS COUNTY 



The area of the county is 376.5 square miles, or 240,959. 58 acres, of 
which 226,652.28 acres are land, and 14,307,3 acres are water* 

The land surface is divided into 2,430 farms at an average value per 
acre of $46.80. Nearly every farm home is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery and local and long distance telephones. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last 
statistics, were as follows : wheat, 19.4 bu. ; oats, 45.41 bu. ; corn, 43.91 
bu.; barley, 33.83 bu.; rye, 20.05 bu. ; flax, 11.8 bu. The hay crop aver- 
aged 1.9 tons per acre, and in vegetables, potatoes averaged 106.39 bu.; 
onions, 144 bu.; and miscellaneous vegetables had an average value of 
$42.77 per acre. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively. In 1904 the county had 23 creameries, with an output of 2,267,- 
093 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: 
horses, 7,707, average value per head, $63.25 ; sheep, 3,725, average value 
per head, $3.46; cattle, 31,294, average value per head, $20.33; swine, 
10,892, average value per head, $5.31. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 17,713, of which 13,612 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows : Germany, 2,- 
736; Sweden, 823; Norway, 58; Great Britain and Ireland, 148; Eussia, 
61; France, 16; other countries, 261. Their occupations are the vari- 
ous agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of which 
the county has 98 with an invested capital of $381,856. The county has 
9 banks, the deposits of which are $884,000. It has 75 rural schools, 6 
graded schools, 4 high schools, and 44 churches divided as follows : Cath- 
olic, 10; Lutheran, 15 ; Keformed Lutheran, 7; Moravian, 3; Methodist, 
6; Swedish Mission, 3. It also has 7 newspapers. 

The county has one city and nine villages, viz. : Chaska city, popula- 
tion, 2,085; Carver, 620; Chanassen, 168; Cologne, 353; Hamburg, 160; 
Mayer, 136; Norwood, 542; Waconia, 809; Watertown, 468, and Young 
America, 360. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in real property for 1908 
was $4,416,260 and in personal $1,099,988. 

Land can be purchased in this count}^ at $30 an acre and upwards ac- 
cording to improvements and proximity to markets. 

CASS COUNTY. 

This county was organized September 1, 1851. The county seat is sit- 
uated at Walker. The county is centrally located in the northern part 
of the state, being part of the "Big Woods district." 

The soil varies from a black loam with a clay subsoil, to a sandy loam, 
mixed with clay, but everywhere there is a thick top soil of vegetable mold. 

The general surface of the county is level, the greater portion being 
covered with native timber, such as pine, poplar, birch, tamarac, ash, 



CASS COUNTY 



87 



spruce, cedar, maple and oak. The timber, when cut off, not only clears 
the surface but furnishes the settler revenue which more than pays for 
the land. 

The area of the county is 1,510,400 acres, of which 229,760 acres are 
water. The land surface contains 1,797 farms. 

It is doubtful if there is another locality in the state which will grow 
such a diversity of crops. The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, 
according to last statistics, were as follows : wheat, 13.34 bu. ; oats, 23.63 
bu. ; corn, 24.38 bu. ; barley, 21.1 bu. ; rye, 11.79 bu. ; buckwheat, 12.66 
bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 2.09 tons per acre, and in vegetables 
potatoes averaged 98.48 'bu. ; onions, 230.9 bu. ; and miscellaneous vege- 
tables had an average value of $59.84 per acre. Fruits of all kinds 
grow in abundance. 

In addition to the above, dairying and stock raising are carried on 
extensively. The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: 
horses, 2,811, average value per head, $61.91 ; cattle, 7,783, average 
value per head, $20.69; sheep, 3,580, average value per head, $2.97; 
swine, 1,884, average value per head, $5.16. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 11,012, of which 7,447 were 
native born. The foreign population being as follows: Germany, 244; 
Sweden, 508; Norway, 536; Great Britain and Ireland, 535; Denmark, 
65; Finland, 124; other countries, 65. Their occupations being the vari- 
ous agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of 
which the county has 21, with an invested capital of $2,599,174.00. 

The county is well supplied with rural free deliveries and telephone 
systems. It has 4 banks, the deposits of which are $175,964.09. It 
has 100 rural schools, 3 graded schools, 1 high school and 14 churches 
with denominations as follows: Catholic, Methodist, Congregational 
and Episcopal. It also has 7 newspapers., 

Here seems to be the opportunity for the man of little means to se- 
cure a farm of rich land on reasonable terms, and in a section where 
transformation is constantly going on, where conditions of the soil and 
climate are in harmony with the warm skies and temperate winds. 

The lumber industries furnish work in the woods during the winter 
season for farmers and their teams, cutting and hauling logs, poles, posts, 
piling, ties, etc. 

The demand for cord wood largely exceeds the supply and farmers 
realize the best prices for this product. 

The county has eight villages within its borders, viz. : Backus, popu- 
lation, 99; Cass Lake, 1,062; Hackensack, 94; Pillager, 250; Pine Eiv- 
er, 254; Walker, 652; Gull Eiver, 179 ; and Bena, 112. 

The) total assessed valuation of the county in real property for 1908 
was $3,554,818 and in personal $628,690.00. 

On January 1, 1909, there were in this county 48,144 acres of school 



88 



CHIPPEWA COUNTY 



lands unsold, also 202,160 acres of government land subject to homestead 
entry. 

The average value of land in this county is $7.38 per acre. 
Land can be purchased in this county at $7.00 per acre and upwards 
according to improvements and location to markets, etc. 

CHIPPEWA COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20, 1862, with the county seat 
at Chippewa city, which was later moved to Montevideo, its present 
county seat. 

The county is situated about 110 miles west of the Twin Cities being 
connected therewith by the Great Northern and Chicago, Milwaukee & 
St. Paul railroads which afford ample transportation facilities for the 
county. 

The surface, like all the upper valley of Minnesota, is a beautiful 
undulating prairie. The soil is a dark loam, very rich and deep along 
the river bottoms, but becoming a little sandy as you recede. 

The county is well drained and watered by the Minnesota and Chip- 
pewa rivers with their tributaries. The area of the county is 594.21 
square miles, or 380,297.16 acres of which 370,269.93 acres are land, and 
10,027.23 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 1,632 farms at an average value 
per acre of $32.18. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics were as follows: wheat, 13.6 bu. ; oats, 36.98 bu. ; corn, 26.16 bu. ; 
barley, 29.66 bu. ; rye 20 bu. ; flax, 9.52 bu. ; buckwheat, 26 bu. The hay 
crop had an average of 1.72 tons per acre. In vegetables, potatoes aver- 
aged 103.11 bushels, and miscellaneous vegetables had an average value 
per acre of $48.45. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively in this county. In 1906 the county had 6 creameries, with an 
output of 285,102 lbs. of butter. The live stock for the county for 
1908 was as follows : horses, 8,912, average value per head, $54.80 ; 
cattle, 18,671, average value per head, $15.82; sheep, 2,705, average 
value per head, $2.60 ; swine, 14,474, average value per head, $4.94. The 
county has 5 banks, the deposits of which are $839,247.72. It has 80 
rival schools, 5 graded schools, one high school, and 37 churches with 
denominations as follows : Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, 
Episcopal, German, Swedish, Norwegian and Danish Lutheran, Advent- 
ists and Christian Science. It also has 6 newspapers. 

The county is well supplied with United States rural free deliveries, 
and local and long distance telephones. 

The population of the county for 1905 was 13,356 of which 9,745 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
704; Sweden, 582 ; Norway, 1,766; Great Britain and Ireland, 191 \ 
Denmark, 110; other countries, 168. Their occupations are the various 



CHISAGO COUNTY 



8b 



agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of which the 
couuty has 58 with an invested capital of $183,719. 

The county has two cities and four villages, viz. : Granite Falls 
(part of), population, 306; Montevideo, 2,595; Clara City, village, 564; 
Mnynard, 445; Milan, 488; Watson, 201. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in real property for 1908 
was $4,343,7.21 and in personal $926,779. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $20 an acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and location to markets. 

CHISAGO COUNTY. 

This county was organized September 1, 1851, with the county seat 
at Chisago City which was afterwards changed to Center City, the 
present county seat. 

The county is situated in the eastern part of the state, about thirty 
miles northeast of the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. It is sepa- 
rated from Wisconsin by the St. Croix river which forms the boundary 
line of the county for a distance of 50 miles, and affords sufficient drain- 
age for the county. 

The soil is a dark loam and sandy loam, resting on a clay sub-soil. 
The surface was originally covered with a dense growth of timber, which 
has been cleared and transformed into rich, agricultural lands. 

The area of the county is 451.66 square miles, or 289,062.5 acres, 
of which 269,451.12 acres are land, and 19,611.38 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 2,194 farms, at an average value per acre of 
$25.89. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 14,341, of which 9,332 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
351; Sweden, 4,252; Norway, 139; Great Britain and Ireland, 203; Rus- 
sia, 26; other countries, 38. Their occupations are the various agricul- 
tural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of which the 
county has 49, with an invested capital of $297,116. 

This county is noted for its wonderful waterfalls, viz. : St. Croix 
Falls and Taylor's Falls, which are now harnessed to furnish power to 
the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 18.25; bu. ; oats, 39.21 bu. ; corn, 31.1 bu. ; 
barley, 29.8 bu.; rye, 13.9 bu.; flax, 15 bu.; buckwheat, 13.75 bu. The 
hay crop averaged 2.11 tons per acre, arid in vegetables, potatoes averaged 
110.56 bushels, onions, 238.12 bushels, and miscellaneous vegetables had 
an average value per acre of $37.30. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on quite 
extensively. In 1906 the county had 12 creameries, the output of which 
was 1,475,416 lbs. of butter. It also had one cheese factory with an out- 
put of 19,030 lbs. of cheese. 

Live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 5,929, av- 
erage value per head, $60.30 ; cattle, 26,553, average value per head, 



90 



CLAY COUNTY 



$20.84; sheep, 2,910, average value per head, $2.72; swine, 4,868, 
average value per head, $3.73. 

The county has five banks, the deposits of which are $594,456.97. It 
has 54 rural schools, 10 graded schools, 1 high school, and 19 churches, 
as follows; Lutheran, 8; Methodist, 4; Catholic, 2; Free Mission, 5.^ 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery, local and long distance telephones are within reach 
of- all, while the Northern Pacific railroad and its branches traverse all 
parts of the county. These facilities, together with the excellent water- 
power for which the county is noted, make it an ideal place for the 
manufacturer, as well as the agriculturist. 

There are, within the borders of the county, eight villages, viz. : 
Chisago City, population, 253 ; Center City, 237 ; Harris, 767 ; Lind- 
strom, 562; North Branch, 642; Rush City, 1,041 ; Taylor 's Falls, 508; 
Wyoming, 208. 

On January 1, 1907, there were, in this county, 280 acres of state 
school lands unsold. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $3,923,788, 
of which $915,876 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $20 per acre and upwards 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

CLAY COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 8, 1862, with the county seat at 
Moorhead. It is situated in the western part of the state, being separat- 
ed from North Dakota by the Eed Eiver of the North. 

The soil is a rich, black loam, with a clay sub-soil. The surface is 
prairie, with a universal slope towards the Eed river, in which direction 
all streams trend, forming a natural drainage system for the county. 

The area of the county is 1,067.37 square miles, or 683,108.82 acres, 
of which 668,124.66 acres are land, and 14,984.16 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 1,884 farms at an average value per acre of 
$27.78. 

The cereal crop, and the average bushel per acre, according to last 
statistics, were as follows : wheat, 14.45 bu. ; oats, 28.26 bu. ; corn, 28.94 
bu. ; barley, 25.66 bu. ; rye, 15.6 bu.; flax, 9.51 bu. ; buckwheat, 8.88 bu. 
The hay crop had an average of 1.35 tons per acre, in vegetables, potatoes 
averaged 101.81 bu. ; onions, 362.89 bu. ; and miscellaneous vegetables 
had an average value per acre of $70.06. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively in this county. In 1906 the county had 3 creameries the output 
of which was 193,224 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county for 
1908 was as follows: horses, 12,790, average value per head, $61.41; 
cattle, 21,171, average value per head, $19.39; sheep, 5,150, average 
value per head, $2.67; swine 1,884, average value per head, $5.23. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 19,457 of which 13,493 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 



CLAY COUNTY 



92 



CLEARWATER COUNTY 



738; Sweden, 1,182; Norway, 2,968; Great Britain and Ireland, 771; 
Denmark, 130; Eussia, 56; other countries, 114. Their occupations are 
the various agricultural pursuits together with manufacturing industries, 
of which the county has 70, with an invested capital of $271,121.00. 

Nearly every farm home is supplied with United States rural free 
delivery and local and long distance telephones. 

The county has 12 banks, the deposits of which are $1,243,337.35. 
It has 121 rural schools, 4 graded schools, 3 high schools, 4 private 
schools and 46 churches, with denominations as follows : Catholic, Ger- 
man, Swedish and Norwegian Lutheran, Presbyterian, Congregational, 
Methodist, Baptist. It also has 8 newspapers. It has 2 cities and 8 
villages, viz: Moorhead, population, 4,794; Barnesville, 1,566; Haw- 
ley, 724; Glyndon, 232 ; Hitterdahl, 146; Georgetown, 184; Felton, 150; 
Sabin, 172; Ulen, 420; Winnipeg Junction, 180. 

The county is well supplied with railroads, having the Great North- 
ern and Northern Pacific, which traverse all parts of the county. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $8,881,896, 
of which $1,554,506 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $20.00 per acre and up- 
wards, according to improvements and location to markets. 

CLEARWATER COUNTY. 

This county was organized December 20, 1902, with the county seat 
at Bagley, and is located in the north central part of the state. 

The surface of the county is level, the greater portion being covered 
with native timber, such as pine, poplar, birch, tamarac, ash, spruce, 
cedar, maple and oak, a large part of which is still standing. 

The soil varies from a black loam with a clay subsoil, to a sandy loam, 
mixed with clay, but everywhere there is a thick top soil of vegetable mold. 

For crop statistics of this county, see Beltrami county, as this county 
was part of Beltrami at the time last statistics were taken. 

The county is well drained by the Mississippi, Bed Lake, Clearwater 
and Wild Bice rivers, the above named rivers finding their sources within 
the borders of the county. 

In this county is the largest part of the Itasca State Park in which is 
located the beautiful Lake Itasca, the headwaters of the Mississippi river. 
The altitude of the park is 1,466 feet above sea level. 

The area of the county is 1,044.83 square miles, or 668,513.7 acres, of 
which 650,621.93 acres are land, and 17,891.77 acres are water. The 
average value of land in this county for 1907 was $11.22 per acre. In 
1908 the county had 1,017 farms. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 1,805, 
average value per head, $55.02; cattle, 8,052, average value per head, 
$19.31; sheep, 3,180, average value per head, $2.40; swine, 892, average 
value per head, $5.45. In 1906 the county had 5 creameries with an out- 
put of 80,000 lbs. of butter. 



COOK COUNTY 



93 



The population of the county in 1905 was 6,239, of which 4,114 were 
native born. The foreign population being as follows: Germany, 46; 
Sweden, 530 : Norway, 1,409 ; Great Britain and Ireland, 122 ; other 
countries, 18. Their occupations being the various agricultural pursuits, 
lumbering, and manufacturing industries. 

The county has 3 banks, the deposits of which are $163,000.00. It 
has 54 rural schools, 2 graded schools, and 23 churches, with denomina- 
tions as follows: Presbyterian, Catholic, Swedish and Norwegian Luth- 
eran, Methodist and Baptist. 

The county has 3 villages within its borders, viz. : Bagley, popula- 
tion, 602; Mallard, 112 and Shevlin, 158. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1906 was $2,057,959, 
of which $274,287.00 was personal. 

This county is well supplied with United States rural free deliveries, 
telephones and transportation facilities. It also has 5 newspapers. 

On January 1, 1909, there were in this county 4,823 acres of state 
school land unsold,, also 3,700 acres of government land subject to home- 
stead entry. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $7.00 per acre and upwards 
according to improvements and location to markets, etc. 

COOK COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 9, 1874, with the county seat at 
Grand Marais, and is situated in the extreme northeast corner of the 
state and forms a triangle, being separated from the Dominion of Canada 
on the north by the Rainy river and a chain of lakes, while Lake Superior 
forms the southern boundary, and Lake county the west. 

This county is just in its infancy. The soil that has been cultivated 
is found to be a rich, dark loam, with a clay sub-soil. The surface is 
rolling and very largely covered with native timber of pine and hardwood. 
The county is traversed by the Brule, Poplar, Cross rivers, and several 
other small streams. These, together with its hundreds of lakes, form 
the drainage system of the county. 

The county contains 1,680.4 square miles, or 1,075,455 acres of which 
900,378.49 acres are land, and 175,076.51 acres are water. 

The county contains 178 farms. On January 1st, 1909, there were 
69,892 acres of school lands unsold; also, 75,000 acres of government 
land subject to homestead entry. The average value of land is $5.89 per 
acre. 

This county is not supplied with rural free deliverv, or telephone sys- 
tem. As to markets, there is no countv in the state so blest, because 
there are so few people tilling the soil that they cannot commence to 
raise enough products to supply the home consumption. There is one 
newspaper in the county. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 1,462 of which 508 were 
native born, the foreign population being, Sweden, 153: Norway, 154; 
Great Britain and Ireland. 195: Finland, 67: Austria, 16; other conn- 



94 



COTTONWOOD COUNTY 



tries, 5. Their occupations being chiefly lumbering, while tilling the 
soil is making active strides in all parts of the county. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was : horses, 182, average value 
per head, $69; cattle, 330, average value per head, $18.90; sheep, 15, av- 
erage value per head, $5.00 ; swine, 64, average value per head, $6.03. 

The county has one bank with deposits of $150,000. 

It has 11 rural schools, 2 graded schools, and 4 churches, divided as 
follows: Catholic, 1; and Lutheran, 3. 

The county has one village, viz. : Grand Marais, the county seat, 
population, 248. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $2,316,208, 
of which $66,484 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county from $2.00 to $20.00 per acre. 
COTTONWOOD COUNTY. 

Cottonwood count} r was organized May 23, 1857, with the county 
seat at Windom, and is one of the second tier of counties north of the 
Iowa line, and the third county from the line of South Dakota. The 
county has a length of five townships, and a width, from north to south 
of four; except that, on the northeast corner, two of the townships that 
would be included in this county if it were a complete rectangle, belong 
to Brown county. 

This leaves the county eighteen townships, each six miles square, 
an area of 650.39 square miles, or 416,250 acres, of which some 8,000 
acres are covered by water. The county has 1,669 farms. The villages 
of the county are as follows : Windom, Mountain Lake and Bingham 
Lake on the main line of the Omaha railroad and Delft, JefTers, Storden 
and Westbrook on a branch of the above named road, beginning at Bing- 
ham Lake and running up through the center of the county. 

Windom, the county seat, is situated in Great Bend township and on 
the Des Moines river. 

Cottonwood county has numerous lakes within its borders, the prin- 
cipal ones being Bingham Lake, one mile long, Bean, Augusta, Three, 
Swan, Clear, Cottonwood, Wolf, Summit, Glen, Double, Talcot, Oaks, 
Long and Willow or Fish lakes, ranging from one-third to over one mile 
long, and some more scattered over the county. The surface of the 
county is made up of a beautiful rolling prairie, diversified by the 
lakes and numerous streams ; while healthy groves, which have been 
set out by thrifty settlers, enhance the beauty of this fertile agri- 
cultural county, attract moisture, and serve as effective wind- 
breaks during the winter season. The soil of Cottonwood county 
is composed of a drift deposit, a rich, dark colored loam, nearly 
free from sand or gravel, and varies in depth from two to eight feet. 
The soil is underlaid with a subsoil of porous clay, slightly mixed 
with gravel, and is calculated to withstand extreme drouth or ex- 
cessive rainfall, especially in the former case, the subsoil absorb- 
ing and retaining moisture, which is supplied by vegetation, by capillary 
action, producing good crops in seasons of insufficient rainfall. 



CROW WING COUNTY 



95 



The soil of this county may be said to be adapted to almost every 
branch of agricultural industry, including the raising of wheat, oats, 
barley, corn, flax, fruits and vegetables, while the abundance of rich 
grasses makes this county one of the best stock raising and dairying 
sections of the northwest. The average value of land in this county for 
1907 was $33.10 per acre. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 12.53 bu. ; oats, 33. 78 bu. ; corn, 28.53 bu. ; 
barley, 27.09 bu.; rye, 15.81 bu.; llax, 10.36 bu.; buckwheat, 11.36 bu. 
The hay crop had an average of 1.53 tons per acre, and in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 86.97 bushels ; onions, 262 bu. ; and miscellaneous vege- 
tables had an average value per acre of $49.02. 

In 1906 the county had 8 creameries with an output of 455,565 lbs. 
of butter. The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows : horses, 
9,883, average value per head, $54.82; cattle, 31,164, average value per 
head, $18.12; sheep, 16,870, average value per head, $3.55; swine, 20,- 
276, average value per head, $5.59. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 12,576 of which 9,268 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
734; Sweden, 219 ; Norway, 900; Great Britain and Ireland, 141; Den- 
mark, 213; Austria, 115; Russia, 939; other countries, 47. Their oc- 
cupations are the various agricultural pursuits together with manufac- 
turing industries of which the county has 25, with an invested capital 
of $143,835. 

The county has 10 banks, the deposits of which are $1,442,907.27. It 
has 74 rural schools, 5 graded schools, 1 high school and 36 churches, 
with denominations as follows : Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Catho- 
lic, German, Swedish and Norwegian Lutheran, Episcopal, Free Mission, 
Mennonite, and Danish Baptist. It also has 5 newspapers. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1906 was $6,657,604, 
of which $1,083,085 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $35.00 per acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and location to markets. 

CROW WING COUNTY. 

This county was organized May 23, 1857, with the county seat at Crow 
Wing which was later moved to Brainerd, the present county seat. The 
county is centrally situated in the northern part of the state. 

The land surface throughout the county is rolling, being originally 
covered with a dense growth of timber, such as : pine, poplar, birch, tam- 
arae, ash, spruce, cedar, maple and oak, a large part of which is still 
uncut. 

The soil in the highlands is a sandy loam and in some places, an ad- 
mixture of sand and clay. The subsoil is clay and sand. The soil in 
the lowlands is black muck, vegetable mould, and, in some places peat 
with sand or clay subsoil. 



96 



CROW WING COUNTY 



The area of the county is 931.5 square miles, or 608,958 acres, of 
which 527,387.51 acres are land, and 81,570.49 acres are water. 
The land surface contains 1,462 farms. 

The average value of land in this county for 1907 was $22.04 per acre. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 15.99 bu.; oats, 23.99 bu.; corn, 27.72 
bu.; barley, 16.4 bu. ; rye, 12.09 bu. ; buckwheat, 11.14 bu. 

The hay crop averaged 1.74 tons per acre. In vegetables, potatoes 
averaged 124.68 bu. ; onions, 170.73 bu. ; and miscellaneous vegetables 
had an average value of $48.78 per acre. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on quite 
extensively in this county. In 1906 the county had 2 creameries, the out- 
put of which was 106,638 lbs. of butter. It also had 1 cheese factory 
with an output of 7,200 lbs. of cheese. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows : horses, 3,455, 
average value per head, $65.22; cattle, 9,951, average value per head, 
$22.94; sheep, 2,655, average value per head, $3.71; swine, 1,952, average 
value per head, $6.66. 

The county has 4 banks, the deposit of which are $992,673.97. It 
has 92 rural schools, 2 graded schools, 1 high school, and 40 churches, 
with denominations as follows: English and Swedish Baptist; English 
and Swedish Methodist; Presbyterian; Congregational; Catholic; Episco- 
pal; German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Finnish Lutheran; Ad- 
vent; Christian Science; German Evangelical and Salvation Army. It 
also has 4 newspapers. 

The county is well supplied with United States rural free deliveries, 
and local and long distance telephones. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 16,731 of which 12,638 
wen; native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
724; Sweden, 1,092; Norway, 675; Great Britain and Ireland, 1,003; 
Denmark, 184; Finland, 179; France, 22; other countries, 114. Their 
occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with manu- 
facturing industries, of which the county has 63 with an invested capital 
of $2,034,144.00. 

The county has 1 city and 6 villages, viz. : Brainerd, population, 
8,133; Cross Lake, 100; Jenkins, 87; Pequot, 217; Fort Kiple/, 111: 
Deerwood, 114 ; and Crow Wing, 100. 

The county is well supplied with transportation facilities, having the 
Northern Pacific, Minnesota International and the Northern Mississippi 
railroads, which traverse all parts of the county. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $5,936,662 of 
which $796,340.00 was personal property. 

On January 1, 1909, there were in this county 16,797 acres of school 
lands unsold, also 1,080 acres of government land subject to homestead 
entry. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $8.00 to $30.00 per acre, 
according to improvements and location to markets. 



CROW WING COUNTY 



»7 




Barn and Herd of Ole Carlson and Sons, Erskine, Minnesota. 




Canning Factory, St. Bonifacius. 



OS 



DAKOTA COUNTY 



DAKOTA COUNTY. 

This county was organized October 27, 1849, with the county- 
seat at Kaposia, which was later changed to Hastings, the present 
county seat, 

Dakota county is situated on the west side of the Mississippi 
river, just south of St. Paul. This county is regarded as one of the 
best agricultural counties in the state. The surface is level and 
rolling prairie, with timber along the rivers. 

The soil is a dark loam, and a sandy loam, resting on a clay sub- 
soil, 'the county is well watered by lakes and rivers, prominent 
among which are the Minnesota river, which forms the northwestern 
boundary, and the Mississippi river which forms the northeastern 
boundary of the county. 

The county is well supplied with transportation facilities, having 
four railroads, viz: Omaha, Milwaukee, Rock Island and North- 
western, which traverse all parts of the county. 

The area of the county is 611.32 square miles, or 391,242.57 acres, 
of which 387,753.96 acres are land, and 3,488.61 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 1,930 farms at an average value 
per acre of $39.07. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 23,471, of which 17,695 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows : Germany, 
2,699 ; Sweden, 667 ; Norway, 373 ; Great Britain and Ireland, 1,123 ; 
Denmark, 246 ; Poland, 103 ; Austria, 83 ; Prance, 24 ; other countries, 
152. Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, to- 
gether with manufacturing industries of which the county has 106, 
with an invested capital of $1,378,695. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, for the county, ac- 
cording to last statistics, were as follows: wheat, 16.22 bu. ; oats, 
33.68 bu.; corn, 33.61 bu. ; barley, 28.76 bu.; rye, 14.29 bu.; flax, 
12.04 bu. ; buckwheat, 11.47 bu. The hay crop averaged 1.5 tons 
per acre, and in vegetables, potatoes averaged 96.07 bushels, onions, 
317.37 bushels, and miscellaneous vegetables had an average value 
per acre of $54.23. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on 
extensively in this county. In 1906 the county had 5 creameries, 
with an output of 357,822 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the 
county in 1908 was as follows: horses, 9,224, average value per head, 
$64.09; cattle, 21,375, average value per head, $17.02; sheep, 12,850, 
average value per head, $2.58; swine, 11,330, average value per 
head, $5.39. 

The county has six banks, the deposits of which are $1,723,680.06. 
It has 111 rural schools, 6 graded schools, 3 high schools, 3 private 
schools, and 20 churches with denominations as follows: Catholic, 
Swedish, Norwegian and English Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist and 
Episcopal. It also has five newspapers. 



DODGE COUNTY 



99 



Nearly every farm house in the county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones 
are within reach of all. 

There are, within the borders of this county, three cities and 
nine villages, viz: Hastings, population, 3,810; South St. Paul,, 
3,458 ; West St. Paul, 2,100 ; Farmington, village, 867 ; Hampton, 208 ; 
Lakeville, 350 ; Mendota, 320 ; Lillydale, 173 ; New Trier, 131 ; Ran- 
dolph, 135 ; Rosemount, 254 ; Vermillion, 95. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $9,370,820 
of whirm $1,789,441 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $25 an acre and up- 
wards, according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

DODGE COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20, 1855, with the county 
seat at Mantorville, and is located in the second tier of counties 
north of the Iowa line, and is the third county west of the Missis- 
sippi river. 

The soil is a rich, black loam, resting on a clay subsoil. The sur- 
face of the county is rolling prairie, drained by the Zumbro river 
and its tributaries. 

The area of the county is 438.65 square miles, 'or 280,738.9 acres, 
of which 279,956.47 acres are land, and 782.43 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 2.003 farms at an average value 
per acre of $38.88. Nearly every farm home in this county is sup 
plied with United States rural free delivery, and local and long-dis^ 
tanc telephones. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 12,757 of which 10,644 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows : Germany, 
522; Sweden, 37; Norway, 802; Great Britain and Ireland, 258; Den- 
mark, 185; Bohemia, 19; other countries, 280. Their occupations 
are the various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing 
industries, of which the county has 37 with an invested capital of 
$200,593. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last 
statistics, were as follows : wheat, 12.99 bu. ; oats, 28.82 bu. ; corn, 
36.09 bu. ; barley, 28.01 bu. ; rye, 17.79 bu. ; flax, 11.13 bu. ; buckwheat, 
11.44 bu. 

The hay crop averaged 1.7 tons per acre. In vegetables, pota- 
toes averaged 100.22 bushels, onions, 324.25 bushels, and miscellane- 
ous vegetables had an average value per acre of $52.41. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on quite 
extensively in this county. In 1906 the county had 5 creameries, 
the output of which was 591,561 lbs, of butter. It also had 20 cheese 
factories with an output of 1,192,538 lbs. of cheese. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 
8,981, average value per head. $89.50; cattle, 51,688, average value 



100 



DOUGLAS COUNTY 




EARLY POTATOES 300 BUSHEI 



DOUGLAS COUNTY 



101 



per head, $19.19; sheep, 1.665, average value per head, $2.48; swine, 
14,910, average value per head, $5.31. 

The county has 8 banks, the deposits of whieh art- $830,888.71. 
It has 67 rural schools. 13 eroded schools, 4 hisrh schools. 1 private 
school, and 29 churches, divided as follows: Lutheran, 7: Presby- 
terian, 5; Methodist, 4: Baptist, 4; Episcopal, 3; Coneresrational, 2; 
Catholic, 2; Christian, 1; Seven-Day Advents, 1. It also has 8 news- 
papers. 

The county has 7 villas-PS. viz: Claremont, population, 292; 
Concord 113: "Oodp-p Center. 935: Hayfield, 516; Kasson, 1,049; Man- 
torville. 484: ^Ypst Concord, 616. 

T^p tot-1 osqoqqo^ vnl^otion of the ponnty for 1908 was $6,320,307. 
of whieh $1,212,348 was ne^son^l nronerty. 

L*nd c^n he purch^s^d in this county at $30 an acre and up- 
wards, according to location and improvements. 

DOUGLAS COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 8. 1858, with the connty seat 
at Ale^fudria. Tt is situated in the p*st central part of Minnesota, 
ahont 150 miles from the pities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being 
connected therewith by the Oreat Northern and Soo Railroads which 
traverse nearly every part of the countv. 

The soil is a dark loam with a clay subsoil. The surface is un- 
dnl°tine prairie, traversed by the T ono* Pr*in'p nnd Chinppwa rivprs 
and oth n r strp^ms. Thosp. too-Pther with its beautiful lakes, form 
the drainnorp system of the eonnty. 

Thp countv eontains 722.66 son^re miVs. or 462.500.62 acres, of 
which 401.014.74 a ores are land, and 61,485.88 acres are water. The 
connty has 2.650 farms. 

Nearly every farm house in this county is sunplied with rural 
free deliverv, and local and Ions- distance telephones. Tt has 12 
banks, the deposits of which are $1,285,000. There are also 5 news- 
papers in the county. 

The pormMior of thp eounty in 1905 was 18,780. of which 2,266 
were native born, and 11.206 are Minnesota born. The foreign popu- 
lation is as follows: Germany, 890; Sweden, 2,277; Norway, 1,179; 
Great Britain and Ireland, 257; Denmark, 244; Bohemia, 167: Fin- 
land, 178; other countries, 118. Their occupations are the various 
agricultural pursuits, tosrether with manufacturing* industries of 
which the connty has 81, with an invested capital of $384,200. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last 
statistics, were as follows: wheat, 18.17 bu.; oats, 37.26 bu. : corn, 
32.74 bu.: barley, 29.52 bu. ; rye, 16.48 bu.; flax, 11.68 bu. ; buck- 
wheat. 10 bu. 

The hay crop averaged l 1 /* tons per acre. In vegetables, potatoes 
averaged 103 48 busheis; onions, 188.6 bushels, while miscellaneous 
vegetables had an average value of $34.51 per acre. 



102 



FARIBAULT COUNTY 



Other industries of the county are, live stock raising, dairying, 
fruit raising. 

During the year 1906 there were 12 creameries with an output 
of 672,556 lbs. of butter, also one cheese factory with an output of 
73,000 lbs. of cheese. 

Live stock of the county for 1908 was: horses, 9,387, average 
value per head, $55.80; cattle, 26,975, average value per head, $19.15; 
sheep, 5,080, average value per head, $2.63; swine, 7,858, average 
value per head, $4.42. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1906 was $5,895,253, 
of which $1,308,596 was personal property. 

The county has 82 rural schools; five graded schools; two high 
schools; 1 private school, and 45 churches, with denominations as 
follows: Lutheran, 23 ; Catholic, 6; Methodist-Episcopal, 4; Epis- 
copal, 1; Free Methodist, 1; Advents, 1; Union, 1; Baptist, 2; Fin- 
nish, 1 ; German Evangelical, 2. 

There are seven villages in the county, viz : Alexandria, county 
seat, population, 3,051; Brandon, 294; Carlos, 122; Evansville, 452; 
Kensington, 229; Millerville, 117; Osakis (part of) 964. 

The average value of land per acre in 1907 was $28.17. 

Land can be purchased in this county from $15 to $50 per acre, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

FAEIBAULT COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20, 1855, with the county 
seat at Blue Earth, and is situated in the center of the southern tier 
of counties. 

It is about 90 miles from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, 
being connected therewith by the following railroads: Chicago, Mil- 
waukee & St. Paul ; Chicago & Northwestern ; Chicago, St. Paul, Min- 
neapolis & Omaha ; and Rock Island, which traverse every township 
in the county. 

The soil is a black loam with a mixture of sand running in depth 
from two to five feet. The surface is undulating prairie, dotted 
here and there with small groves of timber, and is well watered 
throughout the county by the following streams : Blue Earth, Maple 
and Cobb rivers, with their tributaries. These, together with a num- 
ber of beautiful lakes for which Minnesota is famous, form a com- 
plete drainage system for the county. 

The county contains 723.72 square miles, or 463,184.53 acres, of 
which 454,033.32 acres are land, and 9,151.21 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 2,352 farms at an average value 
per acre of $59.68. 

Nearly every farm home in Faribault county is supplied with 
rur^l free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. There 
are 1 1 newspapers in the county. 



FILLMORE COUNTY 



103 



The county had a population in 1905 of 20,448, of which 16,682 
were native born; 1,647 Germany; 163 Sweden; 1,141 Norway; 512, 
Great Britain and Ireland; 167 Denmark; 46 Russia; 20 France; 
all other countries, 70. Their occupations are the various agricultur- 
al pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of which the 
county has 85, with an invested capital of $604,462. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last 
statistics, is as follows : wheat, 12.68 bu. ; oats, 30.9 bu. ; corn, 37.49 
bu.; barley, 26.91 bu. ; rye, 11.91 bu. ; flax, 9.64 bu. ; buckwheat, 
12.05 bu. " 

The hay crop averaged 2 tons per acre, while in vegetables po- 
tatoes averaged 84.31 bu., onions, 260 bu., and miscellaneous vege- 
tables had an average value per acre of $46.22. 

This county, like other Minnesota counties, is noted for its live 
stock and dairying, while fruit, poultry and bees are profitable assets 
of the county. 

During the year 1906 the county had 20 creameries, the output 
of which was 2,226,610 lbs. of butter. 

The live stock for the county in 1908 was as follows: horses, 
13,896, average value per head, $54.45; cattle, 42,204, average value 
per head, $18.93; sheep, 12,705, average value per head, $2.61; swine, 
28,996, average value per head, $4.15. 

The county has 19 banks, the deposits of which are $1,740,298.32. 

It has 123 rural schools; .six graded schools; four high schools; 
3 private schools, and 62 churches with denominations as follows : 
Catholic, German Evangelical, German Lutheran, Norwegian Luther- 
an, Methodist-Episcopal, Baptist, Presbyterian and Congregational. 

There is one city and ten villages in the county; viz: Blue Earth 
city, county seat, population, 2,364 ; Bricelyn village, 335 ; Delevan, 
281; Easton, 328; Elmore, 742; Frost, 126; Keisler, 211; Minnesota 
Lake, 482 ; Walters, 82 ; Winnebago City, 1,553. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $9,681,604, 
of which $1,625,421 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county from $35 to $100 per acre, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

FILLMORE COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 5, 1853, with the county seat 
at Preston. It is situated in the southern tier of counties north of 
the Iowa line, and is the second county west of the Mississippi river. 

The surface is a fine, rolling prairie diversified by numerous 
rivers and creeks which form a natural drainage system for the 
county. The soil is much the same as other southern counties of 
the state, being a rich dark-colored loam, varying from 2 to 4 feet 
in depth and resting on a clay subsoil. 

The area of the county is 867.21 square miles, or 555,014.44 acres, 
of which 553,101.9 acres are land, and 1,912.54 acres are water. 



FILLMORE COUNTY 




FILLMORE COUNTY 



105 



The land surface is divided into 3,614 farms at an average value 
per acre of $41.79. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last 
statistics, were as follows: wheat, 15.09 bu. ; oats, 34.54 bu. ; corn, 
40.11 bu.; barley, 26.67 bu. ; rye, 16.68 bu. ; flax, 11.36 bu.; buck- 
wheat, 13.83 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.79 tons per acre, and in vege- 
tables, potatoes averaged 133.23 bushels; onions, 220.3 bushels; and 
miscellaneous vegetables had an average value of $51.77 per acre. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on ex- 
tensively in this county. Tn 1906 the county had 11 creameries, the 
output of which was 1,327.949 lbs. of butter. It also had 3 cheese 
factories with an output of 91.534 lbs. of cheese. The live stock of 
the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 15,509, average value 
per he*d. $51.21; cattle, 57,763, "average value per hf^d, $17.48; 
sheep, 33.670, average value per head. $2.61: swine, 37,518, average 
value per head, $5.95. During the fall of 1907 there were 12,480 
barrels of apples shipped from this county. 

The county is well supplied with United States rural free deliveries, 
telephones, and transportation facilities, having three railroads which 
traverse all portions of the county, viz. : Chicago, Milwaukee & St. 
Paul, Chicago Great Western and Chicago & Northwestern. It al c o 
has 13 newspapers. The population of the county in 1905 was 27,216, 
of which 22,062 were native born, the foreign population being as fol- 
lows: Germany, 807; Sweden, 45; Norway, 3,228; Great Britain and 
Ireland, 776; Bohemia. 107; other countries, 183. Their occupations 
are the various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing in- 
dustries of which the county has 192 with an invested capital of $526,363. 

The county has 14 banks, the deposits of which are $2,124,905.02. It 
has 178 rural schools, 8 graded schools, 7 high schools, and 74 churches, 
divided as follows: German Lutheran, 3; Norwegian Lutheran, 25; 
Methodist-Episcopal, 18; Presbyterian, 7; Congregational, 2; Catholic, 
11; Episcopal, 2; Baptist, 2; Brethren (Dunkards), 1; Friends, 2; 
Free Church, 1. 

There is one city and twelve villages in the count}-, viz. : Bushford 
city, population, 1,133; Canton, 367; Chatfield (part of), 925; Fillmore, 
120; Fountain, 364; Harmony, 689; Lanesboro, 1,041; Mabel, 546; 
Preston, 1,320; Peterson, 280; Spring Valley, 1,573; Whalen, 143; 
Wykoff, 488. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $10,951,579, 
of which $2,259,045 was personal. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $25 per acre, and upwards, 
according to improvements and nearness to villages and railroads, 



106 



FREEBORN COUNTY 




FREEBORN COUNTY 



10? 



FREEBORN COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20, 1855, with the county seat 
at Albert Lea, and is located in the extreme southern portion of the 
state, its southern border joining the northern boundary of the state of 
Iowa. It is about 100 miles from the Twin Cities, and as the Minne- 
apolis & St. Louis, Milwaukee and Bock Island railways cross and re- 
cross it in every direction, transportation facilities are excellent. 

The surface of this county is gently rolling, with here and there a 
grove of oak timber, and some of the finest farms in the state are to be 
found here. The soil is a rich, black loam, very productive and easih 
tilled. Many beautiful lakes are found in the county, and it is well wa- 
tered and perfectly drained by countless rivers and streams, the principal 
river being the Shell Bock. 

Wheat was at one time the principal farm product, but in recent 
years dairying has taken the lead, this county being the mother of co- 
operative creameries in Minnesota. In 1906 the county had 27 cream- 
eries, the output of which was 2,802,287 lbs. of butter. 

Freeborn county has an area of 722.66 square miles, or 462,514.4 
cres, of which 449,212.53 acres are land, and 13,271.87 acres are water. 
The land surface is divided into 2,985 farms at an average value per acre 
of $48.67. 

Nearly every farm home is supplied with rural free delivery, and 
about 300 miles of telegraph and telephone lines are now in operation. 

This county has seven newspapers, and 14 banks, the deposits of which 
are $1,932,111.11. It has 133 rural schools, 8 graded schools, 2 high 
schools, 3 private schools, and 56 churches, with denominations as fol- 
lows : Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist-Episcopal, Presbyterian, Bap- 
tist, Episcopal and Christian Science. 

One city and seven villages are found in Freeborn county, viz. : Al- 
bert Lea city, county seat, population, 5,657; Alden, 636; Emmons, 
235; Freeborn, 112; Geneva, 150; Glem ille, 351; Hartland, 299; Gor- 
dons ville, 128. 

Freeborn county had a population in 1905 of 22,435, of which 16,- 
856 were native born; 616 born in Germany; 290 in Sweden; 2,265 in 
Norway; 345 in Great Britain and Ireland; 1,758 in Denmark; 224 in 
Bohemia; 46 in Bussia; other countries, 35. Their occupations are the 
various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of 
which the county has 128 with an invested capital of $662,182. 

The cereal crop, and average bus hel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows : Wheat, 14.59 bu. ; oats, 30.99 bu. ; corn, 39.41 bu. ; 
barley, 26.92 bu.; rye, 15.33 bu. ; flax, 'J. 61 bu. ; buckwheat, 16.1 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of .1.92 tons per acre. Of vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 88.37 bushels; cr'ons, 199.29 bushels, and miscel- 
laneous vegetables had ar sv^-ra^ *vr ue per acre of $43.17. 



108 



GOODHUE COUNTY 



Fruit is grown here quite extensively; during the fall of 1907 apples 
were shipped to all parts of the country. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: Horses, 12,- 
692, average value per head, $54.36; cattle, 51,603, average value per 
head, $19.81; sheep, 6,310, average value per head, $2.59; swine, 27,870, 
average value per head, $5.37. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $10,805,889, 
of which $2,000,145 was personal property. 

Much more could be said of this county, as it is one of the most im- 
portant and highly developed couuties in the state. With its tnousands 
oi' broad acres of ferule lands, its many meadows of tame and wild hay, 
it& carefully guarded forests of oak, its thriving cities and villages, its 
splendid schools and churches, together with its countless lakes and 
streams, make it an ideal spot to live. 

Land can be purchased in this county from $40 to $100 per acre, ac- 
cording to improvements and proximity to markets. 

GOODHUE COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 5, 1853, with the county seat at Red 
Wing, and is situated in the southeastern part of the state, about 40 miles 
soutlieasi of the Twin Cities, being connected therewith by the Chicago & 
Northwestern and Chicago, Milwaukee & JSt. Paul railroads, which trav- 
erse all portions of the county, affording ample transportation facilities 
for all sections of the county to the markets of the state. 

The soil is principally a strong, rich, dark loam, with a clay subsoil, 
the exceptions being where the abrading action of water has cut through 
the clay and limestone, forming valleys, the soil of which is clay and 
sand; but generally in these valleys the clay and sand are so mixed and 
combined with other ingredients as to form a perfect soil. There are in- 
stances where such soils have been devoted for twenty years to the pro* 
duction of cereal crops, and yet show no signs of poverty. 

The surface of the county is principally open land, but much diversi- 
fied in appearance. The streams of the county, which are numerous, 
have cut the high table lands into small and beautiful valleys, and yet 
left enough of the high land to form the principal farm area. 

The area of the county is 748.79 square miles, or 502,265.62 acres, 
of which 489,329.76 acres are land, and 12,936.06 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 3,224 farms at an average value of $45.96 per 
acre. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: Wheat, 16.8 bu. ; oats, 23.21 bu. ; corn, 35.99 bu.; 
barley, 26.33 bu. ; rye, 17.31 bu. : flax, 12.47 bu. ; buckwheat, 13.61 bu. 
The hay crop had an average of 1.75 tons per acre. In vegetables 
potatoes averaged 93.19 bushels per acre; onions, 307.58 bushels, while 
miscellaneous vegetables had an average value per acre of $49.42. 



GRANT COUNTY 



109 



In addition to the above, dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit rais- 
ing are carried on quite extensively in this county, in 1906 the county 
had 11 creameries, with an output of 1,420,780 lbs. of butter. It also 
had 12 cheese factories with an output of 1,331,391 lbs. of cheese. It also 
has 10 newspapers. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows : . Horses, 14,377, 
average value per head, $81.42; cattle, 49,345, average value per 
head, $18.71; sheep, 16,555, average value per head, $4.33; swine, 15,- 
468, average value per head, $7.05. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 31,628, of which 22,856 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
1,759; Sweden, 3,013; .Norway, 2,898; Great Britain and Ireland, 427; 
Denmark, 114; Kussia, 34; other countries, 86. Their occupations are 
the various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries 
of which the county has 165 with an invested capital of $3,201,500. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

The county has 15 banks, the deposits of which are $3,622,297. It 
has 153 rural schools, 5 graded schools, 5 high schools, 4 private schools, 
and 40 churches, with denominations as follows: Catholic; Norwegian, 
Swedish and English Evangelistical Lutheran; German Methodist; Swed- 
ish Baptist; Episcopal; Presbyterian; Congregational; German, Swedish 
and Norwegian Lutheran; Christian Science; Methodist; Swedish Metho- 
dist; Swedish Mission and Baptist. The county has- 2 cities and 5 vil- 
lages, viz.: Ked Wing, population, 8,149; Cannon Palis, 1,460; Den- 
nison, 155; Goodhue, 410; Kenyon, 1,252; Pine Island, 760 ; and Zum- 
brota, 1,129. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $14,165,548, 
of which $3,149,362 was personal property. Land can be purchased in 
this county at $30 an acre and upwards, according to improvements and 
i'ocation. 



GEANT COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 6, 1868, with the county seat at El- 
bow Lake, and is situated about 150 miles northwest of the cities of Min- 
neapolis and St. Paul. 

The soil is a black loam, with a clay subsoil. The land throughout) 
the county is a gently undulating prairie. 

Grant county has within its boundaries a number uf small lakes, 
for which Minnesota is famous, the most important of these things being 
the Pelican, Pomme De Terre, Elbow Lake, and Barrett lakes. These 
lakes, with the Pomme De Terre and Mustinka rivers, together with 
many minor streams, furnish a fine drainage system for the county. 



GRANT COUNTY 



111 



The shipping facilities of Grant county are especially favorable, the 
greatest distance of any farm to a shipping point not exceeding ten miles. 
The Breckenridge division of the Great Northern crosses the southeast 
corner; the Evansville & Tintah branch of the same system crosses the 
county from east to west; the main line of the Great Northern crosses 
the northeastern corner, while the Soo line diagonally crosses the county 
from southeast to northwest. 

The area of the county is 578.28 square miles, or 370,099.24 acres, of 
which 348,256.21 acres are land, and 21,843.03 acres are water/ The 
land surface is divided into 1,142 farms at an average value per acre of 
$29.13. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 9,652, of which 7,072 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 260; 
Sweden, 702 ; Norway, 1,428 ; Great Britain and Ireland, 100 ; Denmark, 
30; other countries, 60. Their occupations are the various agricultural 
pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of which the county 
has 26, with an invested capital of $76,969. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as MIoavs : wheat, 14.34 bu. ; oats, 31.42 bu. ; corn, 24.8 bu. ; 
barley, 25.48 bu.; rye, 10.74 bu.; flax, 9.27 bu. ; buckwheat, 8.12 bu. 
The hay crop averaged 1.44 tons per acre, and in vegetables, potatoes 
averaged 69.53 bushels ; onions, 147 bushels, and miscellaneous vege- 
tables had an average value per acre of $37.25. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are quite extensively 
carried on in this county. In 1906 the county had 4 creameries, the out- 
put of which was 145,241 lbs. of butter. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows : horses, 7,453, 
average value per head, $55.44; cattle, 17,758, average value per head, 
$18.26 ; sheep, 4,001, average value per head, $2.61 ; swine, 6,048, average 
value per head $4.02. 

The county has ten banks, the deposits of which are $542,794.37. It 
has 61 rural schools, 4 graded schools, 2 high schools, and 28 churches, 
with denominations as follows : Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, Eng- 
lish, Swedish, German and Norwegian Lutheran. It also has three 
newspapers. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones are within 
reach of all. 

There are seven villages in the county, viz. : Ashby, population, 371 ; 
Barrett, 285; Elbow Lake, 856; Herman, 649; Hoffman, 290; Norcross, 
175; and Wendell, 161. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1906 was $4,687,545, 
of which $901,471 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $25 per acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 



112 



HENNEPIN COUNTY 



HENNEPIN COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 6, 1862, with the county seat at 
Minneapolis. It is located in the eastern part of the state, being bound- 
ed on the north by Wright and Anoka counties, east by Anoka and Ram- 
sey, south by Dakota and Scott; and west by Carver and a portion of 
Wright counties. It is a large county, embracing an area of 397,739.88 
acres of more than average fertility, with sandy stretches along the 
river, but chiefly a black loam with clay subsoil. 

The original surface of the county was about two-thirds timber lands 
— some portions hilly and broken, abounding with limestone and brick- 
clay. It is well watered, there being about 75 lakes besides creeks and 
rivers. 

In population this county ranks first in the state, the census of 1905 
showing the county to have a population of 292,806, of which 207,325 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
10,987 ; Sweden, 27,126; Norway, 15,571; Great Britain and Ireland, 
15,916; Denmark, 2,369; Bohemia, 834; Poland, 897; Finland, 882; 
Austria, 2,821 ; Eussia, 3,035 ; France, 258 ; other countries, 3,458. 

Their occupations are truck farming and gardening, dairying, poul- 
try and fruit raising, together with manufacturing industries of which 
the county has 2,463 with an invested capital of $66,699,604. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 21,714, 
average value per head, $90.13; cattle, 32,155, average value per head, 
$24.39; sheep, 4,220, average value per head, $2.84; swine, 11,384, aver- 
age value per head, $5.03. 

In 1906 the county had 18 creameries with an output of 6,410,928 
lbs. of butter. 

Minneapolis, the one city in the county, is the metropolis of the 
state. It is the nineteenth city in population in the Union. Here are 
located the famous St. Anthony Falls, whose waterpower turns the ma- 
chinery in the largest flour mills in the world. The following com- 
parative facts nbout Minneapolis will give the reader an idea of the 
prosperity that her citizens enjoy; her population in 1900 was 202,718, 
and in 1905, 261,974. 

Other facts about Minneapolis: 1900. 1907. 



Bank Deposits \$ 35,137,724 $ 82,421,489 

Bank Clearings 579,994,000 1,145,462,149 

rostoffice Receipts 633,205 1,527,154 

Manufacturing Capital 50,477,000 (1905) 66,699,604 

Manufactured 'Products 94,407,774 (1905) 121,593,120 

Property Valuations 99,492,000 168,038,386 

Building Permits 4,490,022 * 10,006,445 

Real Estate Transfers 3,956,553 24,911,962 



The county is dotted here and there with thriving villages where the 
farmer will find a ready market for all his products. 



HOUSTON COUNTY 



113 



Within this county is the famous Lake Minnetonka with its 100 
miles of shore line, dotted here and there with cottages of summer tour- 
ists, whiah afford excellent markets for garden truck raised in the vicin- 

ity. 

There are 11 villages in the county, viz.: Edina, population, 920; 
Excelsior, 850; Golden Valley, 737; Hanover (part of), 44; Minne- 
tonka Beach, 197; Osseo, 346; Eobbinsdale, 541; St. Louis Park, 1,491; 
West Minneapolis, 2,530 ; Deephaven, 285, and Tonka Bay, 280. 

Every home in this county is supplied with rural free deliveries, and 
telephone systems, and schools and churches of all denomination are 
scattered all over the county. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $193,021,416, 
of which $53,740,462 was personal property. 

HOUSTON COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 23, 1854, with the county seat 
at Caledonia, and is situated in the extreme southeast corner of the state. 
It is about 30 miles south of the city of Winona, being connected with 
that city by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Eailroad which, with its 
network of branches, traverses nearly every part of the county. 

The soil is a rich, sandy loam, with a deep clay subsoil. The sur- 
face is gently rolling and traversed by the Mississippi, Winnebago and 
Root rivers with their bran2hes, which form an excellent drainage system 
for the county. 

The area of the county is 579.85 square miles, or 371,102.24 acres, of 
which 263,998.07 acres are land, and 7,104.17 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 2,243 farms at an average value per 
acre of $31.32. 

The county is well supplied with United States rural free delivery, 
and local and long distance telephone, which together with its close* 
proximity to markets, makes this county an ideal place for the agricul- 
turist. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 15,092, of which 11,849 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
1,089; Sweden, 190; Norway, 1,472; Great Britain and Ireland, 379; 
Denmark, 22; other countries, 82. Their occupations are chiefly agri- 
cultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of which the 
county has 75, with an invested capital of $216,790. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics were as follows; wheat, 16.45 bu. ; oats, 31.56 bu. ; corn, 36.58 bu. ; 
barlev, 28.05 bu. ; rye, 17.24 bu. ; flax, 12.32 bu. ; buckwheat, 13.36 bu. 

The hav nroo averaged 1.75 tons per acre, while in vegetables, potatoes 
averaged 130.73 bushels; onions, 111.30 bushels, and miscellaneous vege- 
tables had an average value of $43.39 per acre. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying, poultry, bees and 
fruit raising are carried on extensively. 



HUBBARD COUNTY 



115 



In 1906 the county had 12 creameries with an output of 1,148,083 
lbs. of butter. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 
8,332, average value per head, $55.33; cattle, 36,701, average value per 
head, $17.88; sheep, 11,455, average value per head, $2.63; swine, 25,600, 
average value per head, $4.40. 

The county has five banks, the deposits of which are $576,067.87. 
It has 101 rural schools, 3 graded schools, 3 high schools, 1 private 
school. The county is well supplied with churches of all the different 
denominations. It also has six newspapers. 

The county has six villages, viz: Caledonia, county seat, 1,405; 
Brownsville, 405; Hokah, 522; Houston, 639; LaCrescent, 350; Spring 
Grove, 327. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $5,380,649, 
of which $1,169,828 was personal property. 

In this county you can buy land from $25 to $50 per acre, accord- 
ing to improvements and proximity to markets. 

HUBBARD COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 26, 1883, with the county seat 
at Park Eapids, and is situated in the north central part of the state, 
about 125 miles from the Twin Cities and Duluth. 

The surface of the county is varied. In the southern part we find it 
quite level, but a strip of rough and rolling land runs almost directly 
east and west through the center, and on the other side which embraces 
the whole northern end, we find it becomes more level and is quite 
heavily timbered with such varieties as pine, maple, ash, birch, oak, 
basswood, tamarac, etc., a large part of which is still standing. 

The soil is a dark loam and sandy loam with a clay subsoil. The 
area of the county is 585.4 square miles, or 374,657.12 acres, of which 
334,622.87 acres are land, and 40,045.25 acres are water. The land 
surface contains 1,612 farms. The average value of land in this coun- 
ty for 1907 was $10.28 per acre. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre, according to last 
statistics, were as follows: wheat, 13.23 bu. ; oats, 21.15 bu. ; corn, 
23.63 bu.; barley, 17.15 bu.; rye, 11.25 bu.; buckwheat, 16.61 bu. The 
hay crop had an average of 1.45 tons per acre, and in vegetables, potatoes 
averaged 130.01 bushels; onions, 221 bushels, and miscellaneous vege- 
tables had an average value per acre of $46.33. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and small fruit raising are carried on 
quite extensively. In 1906 the county had 1 creamery with an output of 
26,676 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county in 1908 was as fol- 
lows: horses, 2,870, average value per head, $72.12; cattle, 4,453, 
average value per head, $18.88; sheep, 2,025, average value per head, 
$2.63; swine, 1,714, average value per head, $6.61. The county is well 



116 



ISANTI COUNTY 



supplied with United States rural free deliveries, telephones, ana 
transportation facilities, having two railroads, viz: Great Northern and 
Minnesota & in ler national, wliich traverses all parts oi the county, it 
4iso lias 4 newspapers. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 9,008, of which 7,461 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 333; 
Sweden, 408; Norway, 391; Great Britain & Ireland, 321; Denmark, 
29; Bussia, 19; other countries, 46. Their occupations are the various 
agri; ultural pursuits, and lumbering, together with manufacturing in- 
dustries of which the county has 33 with an invested capital of $1,672,- 
535. 

The county has three banks, the deposits of which are $400,173,61. 
It has 71 rural schools, 2 graded schools, 1 high school, and 22 churches 
with denominations as follows: Catholic, Methodist, Congregational, 
Baptist, German-Evangelical, German, Swedish and Norwegian Luther 
an. 

The county has six villages, viz: Akeley, population, 1,636; Park 
Rapids, 1,719; Lakeport, 120; Earns, 96; Nary, 87; Nevis, 227. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $3,443,655, 
of which $838,746 was personal. 

On January 1, 1909, there were in this county 18,351 acres of state 
school lands unsold; also, 1,000 acres of Government land subject to 
homestead entry. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $8.00 per acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

ISANTI COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 13, 1857, with the county seat 
at Cambridge, and is located about 50 miles from the cities of Minne- 
apolis and St. Paul, being connected therewith by the Great Northern 
^ailroau. 

The soil is a dark loam, and sanriv loam, with clay subsoil. The 
surface is rolling, with frequent groves of timber along the streams. 
The county is well watered by the Bum river and its tributaries. 

The area of the county is 457.81 square miJes, or 293,025.65 acres, 
of which 266,629.79 acres are land, and 2^,395.86 acres are water. 
The land surface is divided into 2,303 farms at an average value of 
$18.89 per acre. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 12,941, of which 7,96? 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
330; Sweden, 4,453; Norway, 72; Great Britain and Ireland, 79; Rus- 
sia, 16 ; other countries, 8. Their occupations are the various agricul- 
tural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of which the 
county has 30, with an invested capital of $123,930. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 16.56 bu. ; oats, 33.14 bu. ; corn, 27.18 
bu.; barley, 22.35 bu.; rye, 13.01 bu. ; buckwheat, 14.45 bu. 



ITASCA COUNTY 



117 



The hay crop had an average of 1.51 tons per acre, while in vege- 
tables, potatoes averaged 107.22 bushels; onions, 140.5 bushels, and 
miscellaneous vegetables had an average value per acre of $02. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising is carried on quite ex- 
tensively in this county. In 1900 the county had creameries, with 
an output of 310,701 lbs. of butter. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 4,878, 
average value per head, $(34.09; cattle, 17,341, average value- per head, 
$20.99; sheep, 2,780, average value per head, $2.40; swine, 2,380, aver- 
age value per head, $5.25. 

The county has three banks, the deposits of which are $356,740.47. 
It has 55 rural schools, 7 graded schools, and 40 churches with de- 
nominations as follows: Baptist, (Swedish and English Lutheran, Meth- 
odist, Catholic and Episcopal. It also has four newspapers. 

JS early every farm home in this county is supplied with United States 
States rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

There are three villages within the boundaries of the county, viz: 
Braliain, population, 448; Cambridge, 855; Isanti, 251. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $3,753,050, 
of which $085,532 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $10 an acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity %o markets. 

ITASCA COUNTY. 

This county was organized October 27, 1849, with the county seat 
at Grand Rapids. It is situated in the northern part of the state in 
the famous k Tark Region." 

Itasca ^ounty lies within the area covered by glaciers in by-gone ages. 
The soils, a& they exist in this county today, are nearly as they were left 
in the retreat of the ice and subsidence of the Hoods. They are marked 
by a great diversity of character, and vary from a still' clay, usuali) 
light-colored, to a sand or gravel. Sand predominates, but is general!) 
nne, mixed with silt and clay, and underlaid at varying depths, by the 
clay. 

The same causes which distributed the soils, left the surface roiling, 
and sometimes broken, thus providing natural drainage. 

The county has a large number of lakes of clear, pure water, many 
«*£ which rival the most famous lakes of the world in beauty. The Mis- 
sissippi river, "Father of Waters," flowp southeast through the county 
lor a distance of 200 miles. Large portions of the county are neavily 
timbered with the following varieties: maple, oak, elm, ash, birch, bass- 
wood, pine, norway. poplar, cedar and tamarac, which are rapidly being 
cut and manufactured into lumber, etc. 

The area of the county is 2,844 square miles, or 1,819,676.52 acres, 
of which 1,690,907.91 acres are land, and 128,768.61 acres are water. 



118 



ITASCA COUNTY 



Some parts of the county are supplied with United States rural free 
delivery, and telephone systems. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 11,529, of which 7,522 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
254; Sweden, 967; Norway, 704; Great Britain and Ireland, 1,329; 
Denmark, 78; Finland, 433; Austria, 122; other countries, 120. Their 
occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, iron mining and lum- 
bering, together with manufacturing industries, of which the county 
has 32, with an invested capital of $312,704. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last 
statistics, were as follows: wheat, 16.16 bu. ; oats, 28.27 bu. ; corn, 25.28 
bu.; barley, 17.14 bu.; rye, 10 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.69 tons per acre, and in vegetables 
potatoes averaged 126.52 bushels; onions, 271.57 bushels, and miscel- 
laneous vegetables had an average value per acre of $72.41. 

The county has 1,001 farms, "the average value of land in the 
county is $10.58 per acre. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and small fruit raising are carried on 
in this county. The live stock of the county in 1908 was as follows: 
horses, 1,361, average value per head, $?0.05; cattle, 2,799, average value 
per head, $21.67; sheep, 240, average value per head, $2.28; swine, 686, 
average value per head, $3.78. 

The county has 5 banks, the deposits of which are $454,311.09. It 
has 49 rural schools, 2 graded schools, 1 high school, and 16 churches, 
with denominations as follows : Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Eng- 
lish and Swedish Lutheran, and Catholic. It also has 5 newspapers. 

It has 6 villages, viz: Bovey, population, 253; Cohasset, 217; Deer 
River, 482; Grand Rapids, 2,055; Nashua, 684; Big Fork, 100; Cole- 
raine, 800. 

The county has five railroads, viz : Minneapolis & Rainy River, Great 
Northern, Duluth, Missabe & Northern, Duluth, Missabe & Western, 
and Minnesota & International, which traverse all portions of the 
county, affording excellent transportation facilities to the various mar- 
kets of the state. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $22,406,958, 
of which $1,080,023 was personal property. 

On January 1, 1909, there were in this county 135,613 acres of 
school lands unsold. Also, 24,980 acres of government land subject to 
homestead entry. 

Unimproved land can be purchased in this county from $4.00 to 
$12.00 per acre, and improved land can be had from $10 to $30 per 
acre, according to the improvements and location, with reference to mar- 
kets. 



JACKSON COUNTY 



119 



JACKSON COUNTY. 

This county was organized May 23, 1857, with the county seat at 
Jackson. It is situated in the southern part of the state, being one of 
the counties in the southern tier, and is about 50 miles from the city 
of Mankato, and about 125 miles from the cities of Minneapolis, St. Paul 
and Winona, being connected with the above cities by the Rock Island, 
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & 
Omaha railroads, which traverse all parts of the county. 

The soil is a deep, dark loam with a clay subsoil, the surface being 
undulating prairie traversed by the Des Moines and Sioux rivers with 
their tributaries, which, with numerous lakes, form the drainage system 
of the county. 

The area of the county is 722.66 square miles, or 462,501.2 acres, 
of which 446,066.45 acres are land, and 16,443.75 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 2,082 farms at an average value of $35.17 
per acre. 

Nearly every farm home in Jackson county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery and local and long distance telephone sys- 
tems. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 14,838, of which 11,062 
were native born; the foreign population was as follows: Germany, 
1,317; Sweden, 212; Norway, 1,017; Great Britain and Ireland, 191; 
Denmark, 225; Bohemia, 269; Austria, 404; other countries, 87. Their 
occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with manu- 
facturing industries of which the county has 55, with an invested capital 
of $188,477. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last 
statistics, were as follows : wheat, 10.27' bu. ; oats, 28.49 bu. ; corn, 27.97 
bu. ; barley, 25.64 bu. ; rye, 11.21 bu. ; flax, 11.05 bu. ; buckwheat, 9.51 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.50 tons per acre, and in vege- 
tables, potatoes averaged 80.44 bushels, and miscellaneous vegetables had 
an average value of $38.19 per acre. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying, poultry and fruit rais- 
ing are carried on extensively. 

In 1906 the county had 12 creameries with an output of 997,913 lbs. 
of butter. 

The live stock for 1908 was as follows: horses, 11,549, average value 
per head, $54.74; cattle, 39,692, average value per head, $22.38; sheep, 
17,100, average value per head, $3.47; swine, 27,938, average value per 
head, $5.57. 

The county has 10 banks, the deposits of which are $1,085,394.87. 
It has 108 rural schools; 3 graded schools; 3 high schools; 3 private 
schools, and 37 churches with denominations as follows : Methodist, 
Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal, Catholic, and Baptist. It also has 
five newspapers. 

The county has five villages, viz. : Jackson, county seat, popula- 
tion, 1,776; Heron Lake, 898 ; Lakefleld, 916; Alpha, 241; Wilder, 121. 



120 



KANABEC COUNTY 



The assessed valuation of the county in personal property for 1908 
was $1,254,438, and in real property, $7,173,773.00. 

In this county you can purchase land from $30 to $60 an acre, ac- 
cording to improvements and proximity to markets. 

KANABEC COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 13, 1858, with the county seat at 
Mora, and is situated about midwav between the Twin Cities and Duluth, 
bei-np- connected therewith bv the Great Northern railroad which affords 
excellent transportation facilities for the county. 

The soil is a dark loam and sandy loam with clav subsoil. The sur- 
face is rolling with frequent groves of timber alonsf the streams. The 
county is well drained by the Snake river and its tributaries. 

The area of the county is 541.9 square miles, or 346,872.3 acres, of 
which 337,535.89 acres are land, and 9,336.41 acres are water. The land 
surface contains 1,008 farms at an average value per acre of $17.64. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 18.07 bu. ; oats, 36.12 bu. ; corn, 31.88 bn. ; 
barley, 23.88 bu. ; rye, 17.04 bu. The hay crop averaged 2.84 tons per 
acre, while in vegetables, potatoes averaged 93.99 bu. ; onions, 105 bu. ; 
and miscellaneous vegetables had an average value per acre of $38.81. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raiding are carried on exten- 
sivelv in this county. Tn 1906 the county had 2 creameries with an out- 
put of 47,895 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county for 1908 was 
as follows : horses 2,240, average value per head, $54.72 ; cattle, 9,339, 
average value per head, $16.63; sheep, 2,700, average value per head, 
$2.71; swine, 1,008, average value per head, $3.52. 

The county has three banks, the deposits of which are $215,02-4.29. 
It has 49 rural schools, 1 graded scbool, 1 high school, and 13 churches 
with denominations as follows: Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, 
Mission and Presbyterian. It also has 2 newspapers. 

The county is well supplied with United States rural free deliveries 
and telephone systems. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 6,194, of which 4,030 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 193; 
Sweden, 1,630; Norway, 154; Great Britain and Ireland, 114; Denmark, 
30 ; other countries, 43. Their occupations being the various agricultural 
pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of which the county 
has 16 with an invested capital of $55,345. 

The county has two villages within its borders, viz.: Mora, population, 
805, and Ogilvie, 309. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $1,910,353, 
of which $310,035 was personal property. 



KANABEC COUNTY 



121 




Excellent Pasturage is one of the Leading Features of Kanabec County. 



122 



KANDIYOHI COUNTY 



On January 1, 1909, there were in this county 887 acres of school 
land unsold. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $10 an acre and upwards 
according to improvements and location to villages and railroads. 

KANDIYOHI COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 20, 1858, with the county seat at 
Willmar. It is located in the south central portion of the state about 
75 niiJes west of the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being connected 
therewith by the Great Northern and Soo railroads, which afford ex- 
cellent transportation facilities for the county. 

The soil is a dark loam, with a clay subsoil. The surface is rolling 
prairie. 

The county is well drained by the Crow and Hawk rivers. These, to- 
gether with the many beautiful lakes which abound with fish, make it 
an ideal spot for the angler. 

The area of the county is 867.14 square miles, or 554,969.04 acres, 
of which 497,101.35 acres are land, and 57,867.69 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 2,458 farms at an average value per acre 
of $27.59. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 19,613, of which 13,486 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
348; Sweden, 2,694; Norway, 2,299; Great Britain and Ireland, 214; 
Denmark, 253; Bohemia, 62; other countries, 257. Their occupations 
are agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of 
which the county has 66, with an invested capital of $271,972. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to the "last 
statistics, were as follows: wheat, 14.71 bu. ; oats, 35.74 bu. ; corn, 28.3 
bu.; barley, 29.16 bu.; rye, 15.92 bu. ; flax, 10.62 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.85 tons per acre, while in vege- 
tables, potatoes averaged 91.86 bushels; onions, 94 bushels, and miscel- 
laneous vegetables had an average value of $44.50 per acre. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on quite 
extensively. In 1906 the county had 17 creameries, with an output of 
1,721,212 lbs. of butter. The live stosk of the county in 1908 was as fol- 
lows: horses, 11,478, average value per head, $55.70; cattle, 32,261, 
average value per head, $18.84; sheep, 7,320, average value per head, 
$3.48; swine, 12,862, average value per head, $5.92. The county has 
ten banks, the deposits of which are $1,778,566.97. It has 96 rural 
schools, 4 graded schools, 3 high schools, 3 private schools and 81 churches 
with denominations as follows: Catholic, Methodist, Norwegian Luther- 
an Synod, Norwegian Free Lutheran, German and Swedish Lutheran, 
and Swedish Mission. It also has 7 newspapers. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones are 
within reach of all. 



KITTSON COUNTY 



123 



There is one city and six villages in this county, viz. : Willmar, popu- 
lation, 4,040; Atwater, 689; Kandiyohi, 139; New London, 392; Pen- 
nock, 192; Baymond, 413 and Spicer, 203. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $8,405,338, 
of which $1,586,429 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $20 per acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

KITTSON COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 9, 1878, with the county seat at 
Hallock, and is located in the very northwest corner of the state, forming 
an important section of the famous Eed Eiver Valley. 

A large portion of the surface of Kittson county is covered with allu- 
vial deposits which are unsurpassed in richness. The soil is a heavy, dark 
loam, with a blue clay subsoil. The loam is from six inches to two feet 
deep, and in some places has been found to be six feet in depth. 

This county is drained by four natural channels, including Two 
Rivers with its tributaries, into the Eed Eiver. Many private, as well 
as public, ditches have been constructed. The state has constructed three 
large ditches, and several more are planned, and it is only a question of 
a few years when every foot of low land will be thoroughly drained and 
under cultivation. Farmers in this county have set vigorously about 
coping with nature, and through the wet lands good and substantial 
ditches have been constructed. 

The area is 1,060.06 square miles, or 678,256.29 acres, of which 
677,579.97 acres are land, and 676.32 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 1,481 farms with an average value 
of $18.87 per acre. 

The county is well supplied with United States rural free delivery; 
local and long distance telephones, and railroads, there being two lines — 
the Great Northern and Soo, which, with their branches, traverse nearly 
all sections of the county. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 9,878 of which 5,755 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 116; 
Sweden, 2,120 ; Norway, 732 ; Great Britain and Ireland, 864 ; Denmark, 
48; Austria, 103; Eussia, 61; other countries, 79. 

Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with 
manufacturing industries. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, for 1907 was as follows : 
wheat, 12 bu. ; oats, 32 bu. ; corn, 30 bu. ; barley, 28 bu. ; rye, 12 bu. ; 
flax, 14 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 2 tons per acre. Of vegetables, po- 
tatoes averaged 125 bushels, and miscellaneous vegetables had an average 
value per acre of $50. 



124 



KOOCHICHING COUNTY 



Some large farms in this countv have been cultivated stead ilv for 
more than 20 vears, and yet the soil is as productive as it was when first 
placed under cultivation. This county has never known a crop failure. 

Tn addition to the above, live stork, dairying:, poultry and small fruit 
raising are carried on extensively. Tn the year 1906 the farmers in this 
county sold 295,000 dozens of eggs, and received from the sale of live 
stock, $220,340. Tn 1906 the county had 8 creameries with an output 
of 111,108 lbs. of butter. The live stock for 1908 was as follows: horses, 
8,776. average value per head, $56.58 ; cattle, 13,569, average value per 
head. $19.35; sheep, 6.565. average value per head, $2. GO; swine, 2,962, 
average value per head, $3.53. 

The county has 12 hanks, the deposits of which are $531,441.96. Tt 
has 'JO rural schools; 12 evaded schools; 1 high school, and 28 churches 
with denominations as follows: Lutheran, Presbvterian, Episcopal, 
Methodist, Baptist and Catholic. It also has 8 newspapers. 

The county has eight villages, viz: Hallock, county seat, population, 
1,014; Donaldson, 142; Northcote, 98; Kennedy, 241; Pelan, (part of) 
100; Bronson, 80; Humboldt, 100; St. Vincent, 297. 

The assessed valuation of the countv in personal property for 1908 
was $865,789 and in real property, $3,838,069. 

On January 1st, 1909. there were 15,151 acres of school lands nn°old 
in this countv: also, 9,244 acres of vacant government land subject to 
homestead entry. 

Wild lauds can be purchased in this rountv from $5 to $12 per acre, 
and improved lands can be had from $12 to $35 per acre, according to 
improvements and proximity to markets. 



KOOCHICHING COUNTY. 

This county was organized December 19, 1906, with the county seat 
at International Falls, and is situated in the northern part of thp state, 
being separated from the Dominion of Canada by the Bainy Biver. 

The soil varies from a black loam with clay subsoil, to a sandy loam, 
mixed with clay, but everywhere there is a thick top soil of vegetable 
mold. The presence of sand hastens crops by warming the clay, and 
provides a speedy escape for surplus moisture. There are some tracts 
of "sandy barrens," which though despised by many, yield well when 
cultivated, due to the nearness of underlying clay, and the frequency of 
rainfall. 

The general surface of the county is level, with a universal slope of 
about four feet to the mile towards the northwest, in which direction all 
streams trend. The surface is broken occasionally by ravines and springs 
which remove the dullness of a plain. Streams are plentiful, furnishing 
natural drainage and moisture to nearly every tract of land in the county. 



KOOCHICHING COUNTY 



125 



In area this county stands third in the state, having 3,096 square 
miles, or 1,980,913.68 acres, of which 1,971,243.2 acres are land, and 
9,670.28 acres are water. The county has 818 farms. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 3,563, the nationalities 
being, besides those of American birth and parentage, Norwegian, Swed- 
ish, French, English and Germans, predominating in the order named. 

For crop statistics of this county see Ttasca county, as this county 
was part of Itasca county at the time last statistics were taken. 

The county is nearly all covered with forests of pine, poplar, birch, 
tamarac, spruce, cedar, ash, maple and oak. The timber is wonderfullv 
mixed, so that all varieties mav often be found on one small trad of 
land, in nearlv the same proportion. The trees grow to an immense 
height. attpshnsr the strong orali'tips of the soil. On an average there 
are 2.500 feet of mixed timber, suitahlp for manufacture, and ten 
cords of wood on every ae^e of land, which when marketed not only 
clears the land for the settler, but affords him revenue which more 
than pays the price of the land. 

After the timber is removed and the land cleared, with the excep- 
tion of stumps, it can be either seeded down to produce a big crop of 
hay, or it can be cultivated to produce root and grain crops between thf 
stumps and the stumps can be taken out as the farmer gets to it ; but in 
the meantime he is making a good living from what his land will pro- 
duce, with the stumps still there. Tracts of land have been cleared and 
tilled in the above named manner by many settlers who have success- 
fully raised fine crops. The prin?ipal crops so far have been vegetables 
(pota f oes especially), and hav, although wheat, oats and corn have ma- 
tured wherever sown. Potatoes have yielded as high as 250 bushels to 
the acre. 

Clover, red top, blue- joint, the wild pea, and other succulent grasses 
and plants grow wild throughout the timber and brush lands in this 
region, affording excellent grazing for live stock. This county is des- 
tined to become one of the leading live stock and dairying counties in 
the state. The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 
827, average value per head, $70.72; cattle, 1,253, average value per 
head, $21.71; sheep, 80, average value per head, $1.74; swine, 152, aver- 
age value per head, $3.54. 

The county has many wild meadows and bottom lands which yield, 
on an average, two tons of excellent native hay to the acre. Uplands 
seeded to clover have produced two crops of three-foot tall hay per year. 

This new county is sadly in need of more farmers and manufac- 
turers. The possibilities of this county are great. Its resources are un- 
developed. The farmer or business man who goes to this county and 
takes an active part in the upbuilding will be amply repaid for his 
labors. The opportunities are especially good for the manufacturing of 



126 



LAC QUI PARLE COUNTY 



hardwood lumber, wooden-ware goods, paper and pulp mills, stave and 
box factories, excelsior works and similar industries will find good 
openings in this county. 

The county has two railroads, viz : Minnesota & International, which 
enters the county in the southwestern corner and traverses to the north- 
eastern corner, and the Duluth, Eainy Lake & "Winnipeg railroad which 
traverses across the northeast portion of the county. 

There are five villages in this county, viz: International Falls, pop- 
ulation, 600; Big Falls, 200; Mizpah, 100; Northome, 285; Littlefork, 
115. 

The county has three banks, the deposits of which are $126,000. It 
has 32 schools, and 17 churches, divided as follows: Catholic, 4; 
Methodist, 6; Presbyterian, 2; Baptist, 2; Episcopal, 1; Lutheran, 1; 
Swedish, 1. It also has four newspapers. 

Some parts of the county are supplied with United States rural free 
deliveries and telephone systems. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $5,615,027, 
of which $435,515 was personal property. 

On January 1, 1909, there were 367,700 acres of United States gov- 
ernment land subject to homestead entry; also 186,068 acres of state 
school lands unsold. 

The price of land in this county ranges from free government laud ; 
$3.00 per acre cut-over land; $5.00 per acre state land, to private, partly 
improved timber farms from $10 to $18 per acre. Nearlv all this can 
be secured by a small cash payment down, and the remainder in install- 
ments to suit the purchaser. Where land is bought under this plan, it 
is cheaper than renting, and in a few years the purchaser is freed from 
landlords, and while he has been paying for and improving his land, he 
has had the satisfaction of seeing his property rapidly increase in value, 

LAO QUI PARLE COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 6, 1871, with the county seat at 
Lac qui Parle which was moved in 1880 to Madison. It is situated in 
the western part of the state. The Minnesota river separates it from 
Big Stone, Swift and Chippewa counties on the north and northeast; 
Yellow Medicine county bounds it on the south and southeast, while on 
the west is the state of South Dakota. 

The soil is a deep, rich, black loam, with a clay subsoil. The surface 
is a fine, high, undulating prairie, diversified by small lakes, which, with 
the Minnesota, Lac qui Parle and Yellow Bank rivers and their tribu- 
taries, form a complete drainage system for the county. 

The area of the county is 771.93 square miles, or 494,037.4 acres, of 
which 492,609.93 acres are land, and 1,237.57 acres are water, the land 
surface being divided into 2,010 farms with an average value per acre 
of $32.49. 



128 



LAC QUI PARLE COUNTY 



Nearly every home in this county is supplied with rural free delivery, 
and local and long distance telephone systems. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 15,182 of which 2,419 were 
native born, and 8,432 were Minnesota born, the foreign population being 
as follows ; Germany, 951 ; Sweden, 487 ; Norway, 2,607 ; Denmark, 111 ; 
Russia, 16; Great Britain and Ireland, 95; other countries, 37. 

Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with 
manufacturing industries of which the county has 57 with an invested 
capital of $139,954. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre for 1906, was as follows: 
wheat, 12 bu. ; oats, 35 bu. ; corn, 35 bu. ; barley, 30 bu. ; rye, 21 bu. ; 
flax, 11 bu.; buckwheat, 12.50 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 2 tons per acre, while in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 130 bushels, onions, 300 bushels, and miscellaneous 
vegeables had an average value of $45.22 per acre. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying, poultry and fruit rais- 
ing are carried on extensively. 

During the year 1906, the farmers received $420,300 from the sale 
of live stock; they also sold 850,200 dozens of eggs. 

Live stock for 1908 was as follows: horses, 12,497, average value 
per head, $55.41; cattle, 22,492, average value per head, $19.09; sheep, 
4,690, average value per head, $2.64; swine, 21,764, average value per 
head, $4.43. In 1906 the county had 6 creameries with an output of 
373,968 lbs. of butter. 

The county has 11 banks, the deposits of which are $1,151,780.56. 
It has 100 rural schools; 4 graded schools; 2 high schools, and 40 
churches with denominations as follows: Norwegian Lutheran, 19; 
German Lutheran, 6; Swedish Lutheran, 1; Catholic, 4; Congregational, 
4; English Methodist, 2; German Methodist, 1; Swedish Methodist. 1; 
Swedish Mission, 1; Christian Scientist, 1. 

It also has six newspapers. 

The county has two cities and five villages, viz: Madison, county seat, 
population, 1,604; Ortonville, city, (part of) 74; Bellingham, village, 
406; Boyd, 420; Dawson, 1,056; Marietta, 326; Nassau, 201. 

The assessed valuation of the county in personal property for 1908 
was $1,359,055, and in real property, $6,536,463. 

Land can be purchased in this county from $25 to $60 per acre, ac- 
cording to improvements and proximity to markets. 

LAKE COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 1st, 1856, with the county seat 
at Two Harbors, and is located in the northeastern part of the state, 



LAKE COUNTY 



129 



being separated from the Dominion of Canada on the north by the Eainy 
river, while Lake Superior forms the southern boundary. 

The area of the county is 2,398.94 square miles, or 1,535,325.43 acres, 
of which 1,328,904.43 acres are land, and 206,420 acres are water. The 
surface is rolling, and largely covered with native timber, such as pine, 
popple, birch, tamarac, spruce, cedar, ash, maple and oak. On an aver- 
age there are 2,000 feet of mixed timber suitable for manufacturing, and 
15 cords of wood on every acre of land, which, when marketed, not only 
clears the land for the settler but affords him revenue which more than 
pays for the price of the land. 

The soil that has been cultivated is found to be a rich, dark loam 
with a clay subsoil, and is very productive. In agricultural pursuits this 
county is in its infancy, as the total land area under cultivation is only 
2,435 acres or 228 farms. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 511, 
average value per head, $81.69 ; cattle, 428, average value per head, 
$29.65; sheep, 335, average value per head, $2.56; swine, 58, average 
value per head, $5.45. 

This county is not supplied with rural free deliveries or rural tele- 
phones, but has fine transportation facilities, having two railroads, viz : 
Duluth & Iron Range, and Duluth & Northern Minnesota, which trav- 
erse the entire southern portion of the county. These, together with the 
lake facilities, make Two Harbors the second port in the state. 

As to markets, there are few counties in the state so blest, because 
there are so few people tilling the soil that they cannot raise enough 
products to supply home consumption. 

The county is well drained by several small streams, together with 
its hundreds of lakes which teem with all kinds of fish, affording a para- 
dise for the angler, while the hunter will find all kinds of fur-bearing 
animals in the timbered districts of this county. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 6,273, of which 3,134 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows : Germany, 87 ; 
Sweden, 1,364; Norway, 479; Great Britain and Ireland, 677; Den- 
mark, 23; Finland, 351; Austria, 139; other countries, 19. Their occu- 
pations are lumbering, iron ore mining, and the various agricultural 
pursuits, together with manufacturing , industries of which the county 
has 5 with an invested capital of $2,010,782. 

The county has two banks, the deposits of which are $215,598.85. It 
has 11 rural schools, 1 high school, and 7 churches with denominations 
as follows: English and Swedish Methodist, Swedish, and Norwegian 
Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal and Catholic. It also has 3 news- 
papers. 

The county has one city, viz : Two^ Harbors, population, 4,402, and 
several hamlets. The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was 
$4,646,763, of which $270,680 was personal property. 



no 



LE SUEUR COUNTY 



On January 1st, 1909, there were in this county 85,951 acres of state 
school lands unsold; also, 82,000 acres of Government land subject to 
homestead entry. Land in this county ranges from free Government 
land ; $3 per acre cut-over land ; $5 per acre state land, to private, partly 
improved timber farms from $10 to $18 per acre. Nearly all this land 
can be secured by a small cash payment down and the remainder in in- 
stallments to suit the purchaser. When land is bought under this plan 
it is cheaper than renting, and in a few years the purchaser is freed from 
landlords, and while he has been paying for and improving his land, he 
has had the satisfaction of seeing his property rapidly increase in value. 

LE SUEUR COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 5th, 1853, the county seat is Le 
Sueur Center. It is situated in the southern central part of the state 
about 50 miles from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being con- 
nected therewith by the Minneapolis & St. Louis, Chicago & Northwest- 
ern, Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, and Omaha railroads which traverse 
all parts of the county, thereby bringing all farms in close proximity 
to the best markets. 

The, soil is a dark loam with a yellow clay subsoil. The surface 
originally was one-third prairie, and two-thirds timber, but the tim- 
ber has nearly all been cut off and the land transformed into some of the 
finest farms in the state. 

The county is well watered, abounding with numerous lakes and 
small streams. No county has a greater variety of clear and beautiful 
lakes within its borders. Lake Emily is a perfect gem of nature, and 
destined to become as popular, as a pla2e of resort, 'as Minnetonka and 
White Bear. 

The area of the county is 472.48 square miles, or 302,388.18 acres, 
of which 284,496.41 acres are land, and 17,891.77 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 2,286 farms at an average value 
per acre of $47.31. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 20,275, of which 16,400 
were native born. The foreign population being as follows : Germany, 
1,537; Sweden, 267 ; Norway, 71; Great Britain and Ireland, 633; Po- 
land, 103; Bohemia, 1,031; Eussia, 23; other countries, 196. Their 
occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with manu- 
factories, of which the county has 103, with an invested capital of 
$724,647. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre, for 1907 was as follows : 
wheat, 14.5 bu. ; oats, 32 bu. ; corn, 38.07 bu. ; barley, 30 bu. ; rye, 20 bu. ; 
flax, 12 bu. 



LE SUEUR COUNTY 131 



132 



LINCOLN COUNTY 



The hay crop had an average of 2.25 tons per acre, while in vege- 
tables, potatoes averaged 80 bushels; onions, 100 bushels, and miscel- 
laneous vegetables had an average value of $40.29 per acre. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying and fruit raising are 
carried on extensively. In 1906 the county had 13 creameries with an 
output of 650,954 lbs. of butter, and 5 cheese factories, of which only 
one made a report, the output of that one being 127,750 lbs. of cheese. 

The live stock for 4908 was as follows: horses, 8,884, average value 
per head, $65.78; cattle, 23,253, average value per head, $19.97; sheep, 
5,585, average value per head, $3.55; swine, 12,270, average value per 
head, $5.34. 

The county has 12 banks, the deposits of which are $884,308.69. It 
has 103 rural schools; 7 graded schools; 3 high schools, and 50 churches, 
with denominations as follows : Catholic, United Brethren, Baptist, Ger- 
man and English Welsh, Methodist-Episcopal, German and English 
Christian church, Lutheran, Episcopal, and Evangelical. It also has 8 
newspapers. 

There are 4 cities and 7 villages in the county, viz: Le Sueur City, 
population, 1,842; Montgomery, 1,281; New Prague, part of, 592; Wa- 
terville, 1,383; Cleveland village, 285; Elysian, 384; Heidelberg, 158; 
Kasota, 692 ; Kilkenny, 239 ; Le Sueur Center, 698, and Ottawa, 212. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $6,619,550, 
of which $1,247,511 was personal property. 

In this county land can be purchased from $35 to $75 per acre, ac- 
cording to improvements and proximity to markets. 

LINCOLN COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 6, 1873, with the county seat at 
Ivanhoe, and is situated in the southwestern part of the state, about 150 
miles from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. It is connected with 
the above cities by the Chicago & Northwestern railroad, which, with 
its branches, traverses all parts of the county. 

The soil is a rich, dark loam with a clay subsoil. The surface is 
mostly undulating prairie, while some timber is found along the streams, 
and borders of the lakes. The county is well drained by the Lac qui Parle 
river, which flows through the northeastern corner; the Redwood river, 
which rises in the central part of the county, and the several beautiful 
lakes, the largest of which are, Lakes Benton, Shokapan, Hendricks, and 
Dead Coon. 

The area of the county is 541.69 square miles, or 436,872.3 acres, of 
which 334,355 acres are land, and 12,517.3 acres are water, the land sur- 
face being divided into 1,424 farms at an average value per acre of 
$25.86. 

Nearly every farm home is supplied with United States rural free 
delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 



LYON COUNTY 



133 



The population of the county in 1905 was 9,988, of which 7,346 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 533; 
Sweden, 203; Norway, 494; Great Britain and Ireland, 111; Denmark, 
940; Poland, 333; other countries, 127. Their occupations are chiefly 
agricultural pursuits, although the county has 16 manufacturing estab- 
lishments with an invested capital of $63,280. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre for 1907, was as follows: 
wheat, 10 bu. ; oats, 40 bu. ; corn, 24 bu. ; barley, 25 bu. ; rye, 15 bu. ; 
flax, 10 bu. The hay crop averaged 2 tons per acre and in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 75.4 bushels; onions, 164 bushels, and miscellaneous 
vegetables had an average value per acre of $42.67. 

Live stock, dairying and fruit raising are carried on quite exten- 
sively in this county. In 1906 the county had 4 creameries, the output 
of which was 711,710 lbs. of butter. 

The live stock for 1908 was as follows : horses, 7,628, average value 
per head, $53.61 ; cattle, 21,412, average value per head, $18.88 ; sheep, 
10,455, average value per head, $2.59; swine, 10,226, average value per 
head, $4.38. 

The county has 7' banks, the deposits of which are $578,282.04. It 
has 65 rural schools; 4 graded schools; 1 high school; 7 private schools, 
and 25 churches with denominations as follows: Methodist, Lutheran, 
Baptist, Catholic, Congregational, Presbyterian and Episcopal. 

It also has 6/ newspapers. The county has 6 incorporated villages, 
viz : Arco, population, 159 ; Hendricks, 380 ; Ivanhoe, 457 ; Lake Benton, 
848, Verdi, 63; Tyler, 699. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $4,823,675, 
of which $816,704 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county from $15 to $40 per acre, ac- 
cording to improvements and proximity to markets. 

LYON COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 6, 1868, with the county seat at 
Lynd, which was later changed to Marshall, the present county seat. 
It is situated in the southwestern part of the state, about 125 miles 
from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being connected therewith 
by the Chicago & Northwestern and Great Northern railroads, which 
traverse all portions of the county. 

The surface is a fine, high, undulating prairie, diversified by small 
lakes and rivers which form a complete drainage system for the county. 
The soil is a deep, black loam, with a clay subsoil. 

The area of the county is 720.66 square miles, or 461,222.8 acres, of 
which 454,072.72 acres are land, and 7,150.08 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 1,212 farms at an average value per 
acre of $39.24. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 13.79 bu. ; oats, 38.33 bu. ; corn, 27.14 bu. ; 



134 



McLEOD COUNTY 



barley, 30.33 bu.; rye, 13.94 bu.; flax, 10.44 bu. The hay crop had an 
average of 1.8 tons per acre. Of vegetables, potatoes averaged 88.44 
bushels; onions, 360 bushels, and miscellaneous vegetables had an average 
value per acre of $38.06. 

In addition to the above, dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit rais- 
ing are carried on quite extensively in this county. In 1906 the county 
had 7 creameries, the output of which was 401,028 lbs. of butter. The 
live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 10,714 — an aver- 
age value per head, $55.85 ; cattle, 25,41? — average value per head, 
$18.36; sheep, 15,415 — average value per head, $2.60 ; swine — 16.076— 
average value per head, $6.38. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free deliveries, and local and long distance telephones. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 16,171, of which 12,035 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 1 ' 
645; Sweden, 543; Norway, 1,134; Great Britain and Ireland, 644; 
Denmark, 168; Poland, 44; France, 21; other countries, 976. Their oc- 
cupations are the various agricultrual pursuits, together with manufac- 
turing industries of which the county has 75 with an invested capital of 
$282,609. The county has 15 banks, the deposits of which are $1,692,- 
904.90. It has 87 rural schools, 4 graded schools, 2 high schools, and 
40 churches, with denominations as follows: Methodist, Presbyterian, 
Catholic, German-Evangelical, German, Norwegian and Swedish Luther- 
an, Norwegian Synod, Congregational, Baptist, Episcopal and Swedish 
Mission. It also has 8 newspapers. 

The county has two cities and seven villages, viz: Marshall, popu- 
lation, 2,243; Tracy, 2,015; Balaton village, 350; Cottonwood, 883; 
Garvin, 107; Ghent, 193; Minneota, 954; Russell, 275; Taunton, 196. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $8,420,957, 
of which $1,343,241 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this count}?- at $30 an acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

McLEOD COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 1st, 1856, with the county seat at 
Glencoe, and is situated in the south central part of the state. It is about 
50 miles west from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and is con- 
nected with these two cities by the Great Northern and Chicago, Mil- 
waukee & St. Paul railroads which traverse all portions of the county. 

The soil is a rich, black loam with a clay subsoil. The original surface 
was about two-thirds undulating prairie, interspersed with hardwood tim- 
ber, balance being in the edge of the "Big Woods" district. It is trav- 
ersed by the south fork of the Crow river, also the Buffalo river. These 
with their tributaries form a complete drainage system for the county. 



136 



McLEOD COUNTY 



The county contains 507.45 square miles, or 324,771.86 acres, of 
which 310,488.63 acres are land, and 14,283.23 acres are water. 

'The land surface is- divided into 2,352 farms or about 310,000 acres, 
witli an average value per acre of $46.44. 

Nearly every home in McLeod county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephone. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 19,315, of which 14,777 
were native born; 2,228 born in Germany; 109 in Sweden; 117 in Nor- 
way; 240 in Great Britain and Ireland; 475 in Denmark; 535 in Bohe- 
mia; 219 in Poland; 312 in Austria; 76 in Russia, and 228 in other 
countries. 

Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with 
manufacturing industries of which the county has 118, with an invested 
capital of $422,558. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, as given by the last 
statistics, were as follows: wheat, 18.91 bu.; oats, 47.23 bu.; corn, 35.06 
bu.; barley, 33.17 bu.; rye, 24.14 bu.; flax, 13.33 bu.; buckwheat, 12.25 
bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.75 tons per acre, while in vege- 
tables, potatoes averaged 91.12 bushels; onions, 135.5 bushels, and mis- 
cellaneous vegetables had an average value per acre of $43.33. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying, poultry, bees and fruit 
raising are carried on extensively. 

In 1906 the county had 19 creameries with an output of 2,949,413 
lbs. of butter. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 9,870, 
average value per head, $72.95; cattle, 29,469, average value per head, 
$20.80; sheep, 5,155, average value per head, $2.62; swine, 9,592, aver- 
age value per had, $4.40. 

The county has 11 banks, the deposits of which are $1,740,938.51. 
It has six newspapers; also 75 rural schools; 8 graded schools; 2 high 
schools, and 45 churches with denominations as follows : Catholic, 7 ; 
Lutheran, 19 ; Evangelical, 4 ; Advents, 1 ; Episcopal, 3 ; Presbyterian, 1 ; 
Congregational, 5; Methodist, 5. 

The county has one city and seven villages, viz: Hutchinson city, 
population, 2,489; Brownton, village, 484; Lester Prairie, 454; Plato, 
254; Silver Lake, 390; Stewart, 460; Winsted, 314; Glencoe (county 
seat), 1,805. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $7,399,489, 
of which $1,523,319 was personal property. 



MAHNOMEN COUNTY 



137 



MAHNOMEN COUNTY. 

This county was organized December 27, 1906, with the county seat 
at Mahnomen, and is situated in the western part of the state, border- 
ing on the famous Eed Eiver Valley. 

The soil is a rich, black loam, with a clay subsoil. The general sur- 
face of the county is level, with a universal slope towards the Eed Eiver 
of the North, in which direction all streams trend. The surface is 
broken occasionally by ravines and springs which remove the dullness of 
a plain. Streams are plentiful, furnishing natural drainage and mois- 
ture to nearly every tract of land in the county. 

The area of the county is 576 square miles, or 368,819.58 acres, of 
which 354,750.30 acres are land and 14,069.28 acres are water. 

For the crop statistics of this county see Norman county, as this coun- 
ty was part of Norman county at the time last statistics were taken. 
The county has 293 farms. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 1,092, 
average value per head, $105.09; cattle, 1,801, average value per head, 
$30.52; sheep, 240, average value per head, $3.41; swine, 844, average 
value per head, $7.06. 

The county is quite well supplied with rural free deliveries, tele- 
phones and railroads, having the "Soo" which traverses the county from 
north to south, and the Great Northern which cuts across the north- 
east corner of the county. 

The county has 3 banks, the deposits of which are $40,000. It has 
7 schools and 4 villages, viz : Mahnomen, Beaulieu, Bejou and Waubun. 
It has 7 churches divided as follows : Catholic 2; Episcopalian, 3; Con- 
gregational 1; and Baptist, 1. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $1,499,885, 
of which $148,052 was personal. 

Land can be purchased in this county for $5.00 per acre and up- 
wards according to improvements and location to markets. 

MARSHALL COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 25, 1879, and is situated in the 
northwestern part of the state, being the second county south of the 
Canadian border, and separated from North Dakota by the famous 
Eed Eiver. 

The county seat is situated at Warren. The soil is a black loam, and 
a sandy loam, with a clay subsoil. The surface of this county is divided 
in two parts. The western half, or the part lying adjacent to the Eed 
Eiver, is prairie, and the eastern portion of the county, which was orig- 
inally covered with a dense growth of pine and hardwood timber, is 
being rapidly cleared and transformed into some of the finest farms in 
the state. 

The county has a gentle slope, which, together with the Snake, Middle, 
Tamarac and Thief rivers, ensure a sufficient drainage system. 



138 



MARSHALL COUNTY 



The area of the county is 1,675.04 square miles, or 1,072,024.12 
acres, of which 1,071,129.11 acres are land, and 895.01 acres are water. 
The land surface is divided into 2,365 farms, at an average value per acre 
of $15.66. 

The county is well supplied with United States rural free delivery, 
and telephone systems. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 17,737, of which 11,193 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
325; Sweden, 2,523; Norway, 2,519; Great Britain and Ireland, 751; 
Poland, 212; Denmark, 158; France, 36; other countries, 20. Their 
occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with manu- 
facturing, of which the county has 41 industries, with invested capital 
of $186,290. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 14.93 bushels; oats, 31.17 bu. ; corn, 29.16 
bu.; barley, 23.88 bu.; rye, 17.47 bu.; flax, 10.59 bu. The hay crop 
averaged 1.47 tons per acre, and in vegetables, potatoes averaged 113.38 
bushels; miscellaneous vegetables had and average value per acre of 
$36.99. 

Dairying, stock raising, poultry and small fruit raising are quite 
extensively carried on in this count}^. In 1906 the county had 6 cream- 
eries with an output of 183,113 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the 
county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 10,343, average value per head, 
$55.41; cattle, 28,567, average value per head, $15.37; sheep, 12,725, 
average value per head, $1.74; swine, 5,538, average value per head, $3.52. 

The county has 17 banks, the deposits of which are $1,238,576.34. 
It has 123 rural schools, 4 graded schools, 2 high schools, 1 private school 
and 36 churches with denominations as follows: Swedish Lutheran, 7 ; 
Swedish Mission, 3; Swedish Baptist, 3; Norwegian Lutheran, 11; (Syn- 
od, Forenade and Hauge) Scandinavian Frie, 6; Scandinavian Methodist, 
2 ; American Methodist, 2 ; Presbyterian, 5 ; Christian Science, 1 ; Amer- 
ican, Polish and French Catholic, 3. 

It also has 8 newspapers. The county is well supplied with trans- 
portation facilities, having two railroads with four branches, viz: Great 
Northern and Soo. 

The county has one city aud twelve villages, viz: Warren, popula- 
tion, 1,640; Argyle, 944; Stephen, 521; Englund, 100; Middle Eiver, 
100; Eockstad, 300; Eollis, 200; Oslo, Alvarado, Eadium, Lund, Viking 
and New Folden. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $6,799,093, 
of which $1,169,084 was personal property. 

On January 1, 1909, there were 4,160 acres of state school lands un- 
sold; also 41,800 acres of government land subject to homestead entry. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $5.00 an acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 



MARTIN COUNTY 



139 



MAE TIN COUNTY. 

This county was organized May 23, 1857, with the county seat at 
Fairmont, being in the center of the southern tier of counties. It is 
about 100 miles from the Twin Cities, about 125 miles from Winona 
and Eed Wing, and about 50 miles from Mankato, being traversed by 
the Chicago & Northwestern; Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul; Chicago, 
St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, and Minneapolis & St. Louis railroads, 
which cross every portion of the county, thereby bringing every farm 
home in close touch with the best markets in the west. 

The soil is a sandy and black loam, with a clay subsoil. The surface 
is mainly prairie, although along its numerous streams, and around the 
many lakes that are dotted over its surface, are groves of fine timber. 
The county is well watered, the east fork of the Des Moines flowing 
through the southwest portion, while the Elm Creek, and other water 
courses, drain the land on the north and east. 

The area of the county is 723.88 square miles, or 463,288.4 acres, 
of which 451,121.05 acres are land, and 12,667.36 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 2,937 farms, at an average value of 
$47.46 per acre. Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied 
with United States rural free delivery, and local and long distance tele- 
phones are within reach of all. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 17,587, 14,234 being native 
born; Germany, 1,664; Sweden, 817; Norway, 234; Great Britain and 
Ireland, 369; Denmark, 158; Poland, 44; France, 15; other countries, 53. 

Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with 
manufacturing industries of which the county has 72, with an invested 
capital of $297,284. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 10.33 bu. ; oats, 30.84 bu. ; corn, 31.69 bu. ; 
barley, 29.76 bu.; rye, 12.84 bu.; flax, 9.37 bu.; buckwheat, 15 bu. 

- The hay crop had an average of 1.85 tons per acre, while in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 84.51 bushels; onions, 148.75 bushels, and miscellane- 
ous vegetables had an average value of $29.95 per acre. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying and fruit raising are 
carried on extensively. 

In 1906 the county had 12 creameries, with an output of 1,953,571 
lbs. of butter. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows : horses, 11,750, 
average value per head, $53.55; cattle, 40,249, average value per head, 
$17.84; sheep, 13,845, average value per head, $2.60; swine, 30,924, 
average value per head, $5.31. 

The county has 14 banks, the deposits of which are $1,408,013.89. 
It has 115 rural schools, 6 graded schools, 2 high schools, 17 private 
schools, and 51 churches, with denominations as follows : Methodist, 10; 



140 



MEEKER COUNTY 



Mission Friends, 4; German Lutheran, 17; Congregational, 5; Bap- 
tists, 4; Catholic, 4; St. John Evangelical, 4; Evangelical Association, 
2 ; Christian Science, 1. It also has 8 newspapers, including one daily. 

The county has one city and ten villages, viz : Fairmont, population, 
2,955; Ceylon village, 341; Bunnell, 145; Fox Lake, 78; Granada, 313; 
Monterey, 157; Sherburne, 871; Triumph, 239; Truman, 450; Welcome, 
500 ; Ormsby, part of, 40. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $9,016,216, of 
which $1,410,206 was personal property. 

Land can be had in this county from $35 to $70 per acre, according 
to improvements and proximity to markets. 



MEEKER COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 23, 1856, with the county seat 
at Litchfield, and is located in the south central portion of the state 
about 50 miles west of the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being 
connected therewith by the Great Northern and Soo railroads, which af- 
ford excellent transportation facilities for the county. 

The soil is a dark loam with a clay subsoil. The surface is rolling 
prairie. The county is well drained by several rivers and numerous beau- 
tiful lakes which offer excellent opportunities for the fisherman to pur- 
sue his favorite sport. 

The area of the county is 633.62 square miles or 405,518.58 acres, 
of which 381,443.02 acres are land, and 24,075.56 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 2,340 farms at an average value per acre of 
$38.07. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 15.97 bu. ; oats, 40.78 bu.; corn, 31.94 bu. ; 
barley, 30.5 bu. ; rye, 22.53 bu. ; flax, 12.64 bu. ; buckwheat, 10 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.65 tons per acre, and in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 76.15 bushels, onions, 146.5 bushels, while miscellane- 
ous vegetables had an average value per acre of $35.77. In addition to 
the above, dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on 
extensively in this county. In 1906 the county had 20 creameries, the 
output of which was 2,387,334 lbs. of butter. It also had one cheese 
factory with an output of 98,550 lbs. of cheese. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 9,810, 
average value per head, $56.12; cattle, 31,363, average value per head, 
$20.05; sheep, 7,020, average value per head, $3.48; swine, 8,902, aver- 
age value per head, $4.51. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 17,953, of which 12,858 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 752; 
Sweden, 2,790; Norway, 567; Great Britain and Ireland, 427; Den- 
mark, 273; Finland, 247; other countries, 39. Their occupations are 



MILLE LACS COUNTY 



141 



the various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing indus- 
tries of which the county has 77 with an invested capital of $278,173. 

The county has 9 banks, the deposits of which are $1,800,000. It 
has 86 rural schools, 3 graded schools, 1 high school, 2 private schools, 
and 51 churches divided as follows : Baptist, 1 ; Presbyterian, 6 ; Swed- 
ish Lutheran, 7 ; Norwegian Lutheran, 3 ; Swedish Mission, 6 ; Church 
of God, 2; German Lutheran, 3; German Evangelical, 2; Catholic, 6.; 
Evangelical, 1; Finnish Lutheran, 1; English Methodist, 7; Swedish 
Methodist, 2; Advents, 3; Episcopal, 1; Christian, 1. It also has 6 
newspapers. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free deliveries, and local and long distance telephones. 

The county has 1 city and 6 villages, viz : Litchfield, population, 
2,415; Dassel village, 592; Eden Valley (part of), 454; Grove City, 
339; Kingston, 99; Manannah, 85; Wilkins, 356. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $6,470,077, 
of which $1,203,637 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $25 an acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

MILLE LACS COUNTY. 

This county was organized May 23, 1857, with the county seat at 
Princeton, and is located in the east central portion of the state; about 
60 miles north of the Twin Cities, being connected therewith by the 
Northern Pacific and Great Northern railroads, which afford excellent 
transportation facilities for the county. 

The soil is a dark loam and sandy loam with a clay subsoil. The 
surface is rolling, with frequent groves of timber along the streams. The 
county is well drained by the Eum river and its tributaries. 

The area of the county is 688.19 square miles, or 440,443.18 acres, 
of which 365,497.65 acres are land and 74,945.53 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 1,421 farms at an average value per acre 
of $16.16. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 18.44 bu.; oats, 34.66 bu.; corn, 31.18 bu.; 
barley, 29.09 bu.; rye, 16.64 bu.; flax, 9.33 bu.; buckwheat, 12.8 bu. 

The hay crop averaged 1.52 tons per acre, while in vegetables, pota- 
toes averaged 109.75 bushels; onions, 243.5 bushels, and miscellaneous 
vegetables had an average value per acre of $43.19. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively in this county. In 1906 the county had 5 creameries, the output 
of which was 653,757 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county for 
1908 was as follows: horses, 3,010, average value per head, $56.46; cat- 
tle, 13,803, average value per head, $19.34 ; sheep, 2,725, average value 
per head, $2.60; swine, 1,614, average value per head, $4.52. 



142 



MORRISON COUNTY 



The population of the county in 1905 was 9,876, of which 1,215 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 391; 
Norway, 361; Sweden, 1,437; Great Britain and Ireland, 242; Den- 
mark, 78 ; Finland, 37 ; other countries, 113. Their occupations are the 
various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of 
which the county has 43 with an invested capital of $1,419,524. The 
county has 5 banks, the deposits of which are $468,000. It has 45 rural 
schools, 1 graded school, 2 high schools, and 24 churches with denomi- 
nations as follows : Catholic, Baptist, German, Swedish and Norwegian 
Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational. It also has 4 
newspapers. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

The county has three villages, viz : Foreston, population, 212 ; Milaca, 
319; Princeton, 1,704. 

On January 1st, 1909, there were in this count}^, 8,489 acres of state 
school lands unsold. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $2,419,128, 
of which $500,018 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this country at $10 per acre and upwards, 
according to improvements, location to markets, etc. 

MORRISON COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 25, 1856, with the county seat 
at Little Falls. It is situated in the central portion of the state about 
90 miles northwest of the Twin Cities, being connected therewith by 
the Northern Pacific and Soo Eailroads, which traverse all portions of 
the county. 

The soil is a black loam, and sandy loam mixed with clay, with a 
clay subsoil. The surface is about one-fourth prairie, and the balance 
rolling, being originally covered with a growth of timber of the hard- 
wood variety. The county is well drained by the Mississippi river and 
its tributaries. 

The area of the county is 1,089.09 square miles or 697,018.85 acres 
of which 693,454.07 acres are land, and 3,584.78 acres are water. The 
land surface contains 3,036 farms. The average value of land in this 
county for 1907 was $18.52 per acre. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre according to last sta- 
tistics, were as follows: wheat, 15.43 bu. ; oats, 31.06 bu. ; corn, 24.65 
bu. ; barle}r, 22.56 bu. ; rye, 14.75 bu. ; buckwheat, 11.29 bu. The hay 
crop had an average of 1.47 tons per acre, and in vegetables, potatoes 
averaged 86.03 bushels, onions, 166.4 bushels, and miscellaneous vege- 
tables had an average value per acre of $51.61. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on ex- 
tensively in this county. In 1906 the county had 11 creameries, the out- 
put of which was 750,727 lbs. of butter. It also had two cheese fac- 
tories with an output of 182,500 lbs. of cheese. 



144 



MOWER COUNTY 



The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 7,621, 
average value per head, $57.32; cattle, 28,900, average value per head, 
§19.02 ; sheep, 5,530, average value per head, $3.48; swine, 6.586, average 
value per head, $6.94. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 24,584 of which 18,409 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
2,439; Sweden, 1,647; Norway, 328; Great Britain and Ireland, 858; 
Denmark, 158; Poland, 447; Austria, 177; other countries, 121. Their 
occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with manu- 
facturing industries of which the county has 86 with an invested capital 
of $2,662,284. The county has 7 banks, the deposits of which are $1,- 
238,203.01. It has 116 rural schools, 7 graded schools, 2 high schools, 
and 51 churches with denominations as follows: Catholic, German, 
Swedish and Norwegian Lutheran, Presbyterian, Congregational, Metho- 
dist, Baptist and Mission. 

It also has 6 newspapers. The county is well supplied with United 
States rural free deliveries, and local and long-distance telephones. 

'The county has 1 city and 5 villages, viz. : Little Falls, population, 
5,856; Motley village, 415; Pierz, 501; Eandall, 222; Eoyalton, 789; 
Swanville, 351. 

On January 1, 1909, there were in this county, 10,726 acres of state 
school lands unsold. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $5,693,592, 
of which $1,377,266 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $15 per acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

MOWER COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20, 1855, with the county seat 
at Frankford, which was later changed to Austin, the present county 
seat. 

It is situated in the southern tier of counties, just north of the Iowa 
line. It is about 50 miles southwest of the city of Winona, and about 
100 miles south of the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. 

The soil is much the same as other southern counties of the state, 
being a rich, dark-colored loam, varying from two to four feet in depth, 
and resting on a clay subsoil. The surface is a fine, rolling prairie, 
diversified by numerous rivers and creeks, which form a natural drain- 
age system for the county. 

The area of the county is 711.18 square miles, or 455,155.75 acres, 
of which 453,803.1 acres are land, and 1,352.65 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 2,631 farms at an average value per acre of 
$53.50. 

Every farm home in this county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery, and local and long-distance telephones are within 
the reach of all. 



MURRAY COUNTY 



145 



The population of the county in 1905 was 22,346, of which 18,354 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
1,157; Sweden, 168; Norway, 1,503; Great Britain and Ireland, 657; 
Denmark, 261; Bohemia, 115; Eussia, 21; and other countries, 110. 
Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with 
manufacturing industries, of which the county has 127, with an invested 
capital of $720,000. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last sta- 
tistics, were as follows: wheat, 12.92 bu. ; oats, 36.59 bu.; corn, 37.21 
bu.; barley, 27.76 bu. ; rye- 12.04 bu.; flax, 11.41 bu.; buckwheat, 13.38 
bu. The hay crop had an average of 1.48 tons per acre, while in vege- 
tables potatoes averaged 101.29 bushels; onions, 277.5 bushels, and mis- 
cellaneous vegetables had an average value per acre of $35.14. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on ex- 
tensively in this county. In 1906 the county had 16 creameries with 
an output of 1,141,028 lbs. of butter; also two cheese factories with an 
output of 63,840 lbs. of cheese. 

The live stock of the county in 1908 was as follows: horses, 12,824, 
average value per head, $58.07; cattle, 44,080, average value per head, 
$20.75; sheep, 13,135, average value per head, $2.60; swine, 21,024, 
average value per head, $4.38. 

The county has 13 banks, the deposits of which are $1,966,819.62. 
It has 129 rural schools, 6 graded schools, 4 high schools, and 32 
churches, with denominations as follows: Lutheran, Baptist, Congre- 
gational, Presbyterian, German and Danish Lutheran, Methodist, Chris- 
tian, Christian Science, Episcopal, German and Snglish Catholic, Dan- 
ish, and Advents. It also has 7 newspapers. 

The county is well supplied with railroads, having the Chicago 
Great Western and Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroads, which, 
with their branches, afford excellent transportation facilities to the 
markets of Winona, Mankato, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and other cities 
in the state. 

There is one city and eleven villages within the boundaries of the 
county, viz. : Austin, population, 6,489 ; Adams, village, 575 ; Browns- 
dale, 266; Dexter, 298; Grand Meadow, 459; LeEoy, 778; Lyle, 451; 
Elkton, 48; Racine, 202; Eose Creek, 194; Taopi, 107; Waltham, 190. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $10,827,822, 
of which $1,797,529 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $40 an* acre and upwards, 
acaording to improvements and nearness to villages and railroads. 

MURRAY COUNTY. 

This county was organized May 23, 1857, with the county seat at 
Shetec, which was later changed to Slayton, the present county seat. 



146 



MURRAY COUNTY 




MURRAY COUNTY 



147 



The county is situated in the southwestern part of the state, being 
the second county north of the Iowa line, and the second county east 
of the South Dakota line. 

The soil is a rich, dark-colored loam, resting on a clay subsoil. The 
surface is a high, rolling prairie, diversified by numerous lakes and 
rivers which form a natural drainage system for the county. 

The area of the county is 721.56 square miles, or 461,801.2 acres, 
of which 444,891.27 acres are land, and 16,909.93 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 1,844 farms, at an average value per acre 
of $39.18. 

Every farm home in this county is supplied with United States rural 
free delivery, and local and long distance telephones are within reach 
of all. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 11,715, of which 8,809 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
698; Sweden, 612; Norway, 797 ; Great Britain and Ireland, 431; Den- 
mark, 115; Austria, 127; other countries, 120. Their occupations are 
the various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing indus- 
tries, of which the county has 50, with an invested capital of $145,556. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last sta- 
tistics, were as follows: wheat, 12.95 bu. ; oats, 35.07 bu. ; corn, 27.13 
bu. ; barley, 29.92 bu. ; rye, 13.69 bu. ; flax, 9.76 bu. ; buckwheat, 11.7 
bu. The hay crop had an average of 1.85 tons per acre, while in vege- 
tables, potatoes averaged 88.58 bushels; onions, 190 bushels, and mis- 
cellaneous vegetables had an average value per acre of $42.54. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively in this county. In 1906 the county had 4 creameries, with an 
output of 589,235 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county for 1908 
was as follows: horses, 10,816, average value per head, $53.29; cattle, 
35,377,' average value per head, $18.08; sheep, 16,870, average value 
per head, $2.65 ; swine, 21,800, average value per head, $4.38. 

The county has 11 banks, the deposits of which are $916,566.26. 
It has 101 rural schools, 6 graded schools, 2 high schools, 3 private 
schools; and 37 churches, divided as follows: Norwegian Lutheran, 
11; Catholic, 5; Swedish Lutheran, 3; Methodist, 5; Presbyterian, 3; 
Advents, 1 ; German Lutheran, 3 ; Swedish Baptist, 1 ; German Evan- 
gelistical, 2; Episcopal, 1; Free Mission, 2. It also has 8 newspapers. 

The county is well supplied with railroads, having the Chicago, 
Milwaukee & St. Paul, and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha 
railroads, which, with their branches afford excellent transportation 
facilities to the markets of Winona, Mankato, St. Paul, Minneapolis, 
and other cities in the state. 



148 



NICOLLET COUNTY 



There are 8 villages within the borders of the county, viz. : Avoca, 
population, 251; Chandler, 178; Currie, 311; Fulda, 701; Hadley, 140; 
Iona, 288; Lake Wilson, 182; Slayton, 839. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $6,941,468, 
of which $1,061,583 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $30 an acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and nearness to markets and railroads. 

NICOLLET COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 5, 1853, with the county seat at 
St. Peter, and is situated in the south central portion of the state, about 
75 miles from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being connected 
therewith by the Minneapolis & St. Louis, and Chicago & Northwestern 
railroads. 

The soil is a dark loam, with a clay subsoil. The original surface 
was one-third fine, high, rolling prairie; one-third timber, such as oak, 
elm, maple, basswood, ash, etc., and one-third meadows and lakes. The 
timbered sections have been cleared, and transformed into valuable 
farms. 

The county is well drained as the Minnesota river forms the south- 
western and eastern boundaries for a distance of 60 miles. It also has 
several lakes, the largest of which are, Swan, Middle and Timber lakes. 

The area of the county is 464.61 square miles, or 297,351.78 acres, 
of which 278,782.41 acres are land, and 18,469.37 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 1,550 farms, with an average value per acre 
of $43.95. 

Nearly every farm home is supplied with United States rural free 
delivery, and local and long-distance telephones are within the reach 
of all. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 14,944 of which 10,492 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
1,237; Sweden, 1,194; Norway, 514; Great Britain and Ireland, 261; 
Denmark, 56; Austria, 60; Eussia, 19; Prance, 13; other countries, 38. 
Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with 
manufacturing industries of which the county has 87, with an invested 
capital of $493,836. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to the last 
statistics, were as follows: wheat, 17.97 bu. ; oats, 44.41 bu. ; corn, 40.8 
bu. ; barley, 34.35 bu. ; rye, 15.02 bu. ; flax, 11.89 bu. ; buckwheat, 13.9 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.75 tons per acre, while in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 105.75 bushels; onions, 226.83 bushels, and miscel- 
laneous vegetables had an average value of $63.51 per acre. 

Live stock, dairying and fruit raising are extensively carried on in 
this county. In 1906 the county had 14 creameries, the output of which 
was 972,616 lbs. of butter. Live stock for 1908 was as follows : horses, 



NOBLES COUNTY 



149 



9,082, average value per head, $62.6?'; cattle, 22,273, average value per 
head, $19.80; sheep, 3,720, average value per head, $2.60; swine, 11,350, 
average value per head, $5.25. 

The county has 5 banks, the deposits of which are $817,667.77. It 
has 62 rural schools, 6 graded schools; 1 high school, 3 private schools, 
and 28 churches with denominations as follows: Lutheran, Methodist, 
Presbyterian, Episcopal and Catholic. It also has 5 newspapers. 

The county has one city and four villages, viz : St. Peter, city, popula- 
tion, 4,514; Courtland, village, 223; Lafayette, 245; Nicollet, 341; North 
Mankato, 1,129. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $6,554,928, 
of which $1,294,719 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county from $35 to $75 an acre, ac- 
cording to improvements and proximity to markets. 



NOBLES COUNTY. 

This county was organized May 23, 1857, with the county seat at 
Graham Lakes which was later changed to Worthington, the present 
county seat. The county is situated in the southern tier of counties 
bordering on Iowa, and is the second county east of the Dakota line. 

The soil is a deep, dark loam with a clay subsoil. The surface is 
undulating prairie diversified by several small rivers which form a natur- 
al drainage system for the county. 

The area of the county is 727.66 square miles, or 465,704.16 acres, 
of which 454,877.12 acres are land, and 10'827.04 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 1,929 farms at an average value per acre 
of $40.95. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics were as follows: wheat, 11.68 bu.; oats, 31.58 bu. ; corn, 29.16 bu.; 
barley, 28.16 bu.; rye, 10.78 bu.; flax, 10.67 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.63 tons per acre, while in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 105.84 bushels, and miscellaneous vegetables had an 
average value per acre of $47.16. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively in this county. In 1906 the county had 6 creameries, the output 
of which was 627,373 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county for 
1908 was as follows: horses, 12,535, average value per head, $53.86; 
cattle, 43,345, average value per head, $17.73; sheep, 26,590, average 
value per head, $2.60; swine, 33,972, average value per head, $4.40. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 15-056, of which 11,977 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
1,311; Sweden, 576; Norway, 313; Great Britain and Ireland, 451; Den- 



150 



NORMAN COUNTY 



mark, 103; Austria, 71; other countries, .254. Their occupations are 
the various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing indus- 
tries of which the county has 50 with an invested capital of $138,088. 
The county has 15 banks, the deposits of which are $1,422,896.24. It 
has 100 rural schools, 18 graded schools, 1 high school, and 48 church.es, 
with denominations as follows: Methodist, Presbyterian, German Pres- 
byterian, Catholic, German Lutheran, German Evangelical, Swedish 
Lutheran, Swedish Mission, Swedish Baptist, Norwegian Lutheran, Con- 
gregational, Episaopal, Unitarian, Baptist, German Baptist Brethren, 
Bethel Reformed, and Christian Reformed. It also has 11 newspapers. 

The county is well supplied with transportation facilities, having 
three different lines, viz : Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific ; Chicago, Mil- 
waukee & St. Paul, and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha rail- 
roads. Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free deliveries, and local and long distance telephones. 

The county has one city and eleven villages, viz : Worthington, popu- 
lation, 2,276; Adrian, 1,184 ; Bigelow, 194; Brewster, 273; Dundee, 182; 
Ellsworth, 537; Kinbrae, 111; Lismore, 181; Round Lake, 245; Rush- 
more, 228; Reading, 82; Willmont, 279. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $9,491,979, 
of which $1,618,985 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $30 an acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 



NORMAN COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 17, 1881, with the county seat 
at Ada. It is situated in the western part of the state, being separated 
from North Dakota by the Red River of the North. 

The soil is a rich, black loam, with a clay subsoil. The surface is 
prairie, with a universal slope towards the Red River, in which direc- 
tion all streams trend, forming a natural drainage system for the county. 

The area of the county is 883.32 square miles, or 564,506.57 acres, 
of which 563,742.3 acres are land and 764.27 acres are water. The land 
surface is divided into 1,766 farms at an average value per acre of $25.14. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 18,176 of which 11,397' 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
416; Sweden, 321; Norway, 3,567; Great Britain and Ireland 184; 
Denmark, 54; Austria, 25; other countries, 81. Their occupations are 
the various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing, of which 
the county has 24, with an invested capital of $197,444. 



152 



OLMSTED COUNTY 



The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 16 bu. ; oats, 28 bu. ; corn, 30 bu.; barley, 
28 bu. ; rye, 12 bu.; flax, 15 bu. The hay crop averaged 2.25 tons per 
:icre, while in vegetables, potatoes averaged 112.82 bushels, onions, 101 
bushels, and miscellaneous vegetables had an average value per acre of 
$-12.62. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and small fruit raising are carried on 
extensively. In 1906 the county had 12 creameries with an output of 
786,636 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county for 1908 was as 
follows: horses, 9,478, average value per head, $55.46; cattle, 24,624, 
average value per head, $14.99; sheep, 5,005, average value per head, 
$3.40 ; swine, 6,034, average value per head, $5.67. 

The county has 11 banks, the deposits of which are $1,100,000. It 
has 101 rural schools, 2 graded schools, 2 high schools, and 32 churches 
with denominations as follows : German and Norwegian Lutheran, Ger- 
man and Norwegian Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian, Catholic. 
It also has 6 newspapers. The county is well supplied with transporta- 
tion facilities, having three branches of the Great Northern railroad which 
traverse all parts of the county. 

The county has six villages, viz: Ada, population, 1,515; Gary, 262; 
Halstad, 610; Hendrum, 386; Shelly, 195; Twin Valley, 632. 

On Jan. 1, 1909, there were 2,295 acres of state land unsold in this 
county. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $6,379,122, 
of which $1,145,901 was personal property. 

Unimproved land can be purchased in this county from $12 to $20 
per acre, and improved farms can be had from $20 to 40 an acre, accord- 
ing to location and improvements. 

OLMSTED COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20, 1855, with the county seat 
at Eochester, and is situated in the southeastern part of the state, be- 
ing one of the second tier north of the Iowa line. It is about 70 miles 
southeast of the Twin Cities, being connected therewith by the Chicago 
& Northwestern and Chicago Great Western railroads which traverse 
all portions of the count}-, affording ample transportation facilities for 
all sections to the markets of the state. Like most counties in the in- 
terior of the state, the surface of Olmsted county is a high, rolling 
prairie, with low but sometimes precipitous bluffs bordering most of the 
streams. 

It is thoroughly drained by the Zumbro, Whitewater and Root rivers 
with their tributaries. 

The soil is very rich and deep black loam, with a clay subsoil. The 
area of the county is 662.36 square miles, or 423,911.24 acres, of which 
421,391.04 acres are land, and 2,520.2 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 2,806 farms at an average value per 
acre of $51.30. 



OTTER TAIL COUNTY 



153 



The cereal crop and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 16.17 bu.; oats, 35.37 bu.; corn, 36.77 bu. ; 
barley, 28.65 bu.; rye, 16.89 bu.; flax, 12.48 bu.; buckwheat, 12.76 bu. 
The hay crop had and average of 2.01 tons per acre, while in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 114.77 bushels; onions, 256.5 bushels, and miscel- 
laneous vegetables had an average value per acre of $42.39. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively in this county. In 1906 the county had 14 creameries with an 
output of 1,654,269 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county for 1908 
was as follows: Horses, 12,839, average value per head, $59.59; cattle, 
46,131, average value per head, $19.81; sheep, 35,115, average value per 
head, $2.70; swine, 30,148, average value per head, $5.87. The popula- 
tion of the county in 1905 was 22,409, of which 17,997 were native born, 
the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 1,477; Sweden, 75; 
Norway, 553; Great Britain and Ireland, 990; Denmark, 241; Bohemia, 
51; other countries, 73. Their occupations are the various agricultural 
pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of which the county 
has 16 with an invested capital of $623,444. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

The county has 8 banks, the deposits of which are $1,880,194.73. It 
has 135 rural schools, 9 graded schools, 2 high schools, 4 private schools, 
and 40 churches with denominations as follows: Catholic, Norwegian, 
German, Swedish and English Lutheran, Christian Science, Evangelical, 
Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregational, Episcopal, and Advents. It 
also has 5 newspapers. 

The county has one city and six villages, viz : Rochester, population, 
7,233; Stewartville, village, 851; Orinoco, 196; High Forest, 106; Eyota, 
400; Chatfleld (part of), 375; Byron, 315. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $10,205,836, 
of which $1,998,110 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $35 an acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

OTTER TAIL COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 18, 1858, with the county seat at 
Fergus Falls, and is situated in the western part of the state, bordering 
on the famous "Park Region" of Minnesota. It is about 150 miles from 
Duluth' at the head of the lakes, about the same distance from the cities 
of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and about 50 miles from the cities of 
Crookston and Moorhead, . all of which afford markets for the products 
grown and manufactured in the county. It is connected with above 
named cities by the Great Northern, Northern Pacific and Soo railroads, 
which traverse all parts of the county. 



154 



OTTER TAIL COUNTY 



The soil is a rich, dark loam and sandy loam with a clay subsoil. The 
surface is rolling prairie, interspersed with groves of timber, and is 
traversed by the Bed, Otter Tail, Leaf and several other rivers. These, 
with the numerous lakes (for which the county and state are noted), 
form a perfect drainage system for the county. 

Nearly every township in the county has one or more beautiful lakes, 
where the sportsman will find all kinds of fish, while the timbered 
tracts abound with game. 

The area of the county is 2,240.2 square miles, or 1,433,726.44 acres, 
of which 1,270,977.77 acres are land, and 162,748.62 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 5,909 farms at an average value per acre of 
$22.72. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 16.34 bu. ; oats, 49.61 bu. ; corn, 27.39 bu. , 
barley, 31.62 bu.; rye, 15.33 bu. ; flax, 10.7 bu.; buckwheat, 13.83 bu. 
The hay crop had an average of 1.51 tons per acre, while in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 92.38 bushels, onions 188.13 bushels, and miscellane- 
ous vegetables had an average value per acre of $50.64. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively in this county. In 1906 the county had 19 creameries with an 
output of 1,903,888 lbs. of butter. It also had 7 cheese factories, the 
output of which was 278,458 lbs. of cheese. The live stock of the county 
in 1908 was as follows: horses, 22,356, average value per head' $46.80; 
cattle, 64,968, average value ~pev head, $18.52; sheep, 16,205, average 
value per head, $1.74; swine, 21,198, average value per head, $3.74. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. It 
also has 15 newspapers. It has 258 rural schools, 11 graded schools, 3 
high schools, and 76 churches with denominations as follows: Metho- 
dist, Presbyterian, German, Swedish and Norwegian Lutheran, Episco- 
pal, Catholic, Baptist and Christian Science. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 48,229 of which 33,759 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
2,666; Swedish, 2,594; Norway, 5,140; Great Britain and Ireland, 769; 
Denmark, 346; Poland, 138; Finland, 1,069; Eussia, 153; other coun- 
tries, 59. Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, to- 
gether with manufacturing industries of which the county has 164 with 
an invested capital of $753,068. The county has 17 banks, the deposits 
of which are $1,856,333.58. 

It has one city and sixteen villages, viz: Fergus Falls, population, 
6,692; Altona, 200; Battle Lake, 552; Bluff ton, 324; Clitherall, 149; 
Deer Creek, 351; Dent, 142; Elizabeth, 167; Henning, 589; New York 
Mills, 440; Vinning, 196; Otter Tail, 209; Parkers Prairie, 377; Peli- 
can Eapids, 1,095; Perham, 1,366; Richville, 181; Underwood, 175. 



PINE COUNTY 



155 



The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908, was $12,097,190. 
of which $2,550,952 was personal property. 

On January 1st, 1909, there were, in this county, 2,428 acres of state 
school lands unsold. Land can be purchased in this county at $15 per 
acre, and upwards, according to improvements, proximity to markets, etc. 

PINE COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 1, 185G, with the county seat at 
r "he:igwatanam which was later changed to Pine City, the present coun- 
ty seat. 

The county is situated about half way between the Twin Cities and 
Duluth, being connected therewith by the Great Northern, Northern 
Pacific and Soo railroads, which traverse all portions of the county. 

The soil, climate and productions are such as to favor all industries, 
and similar to other northern counties. 

The surface is gently rolling, and as originally covered with a dense 
growth of timber, a large portion of which has been cut. 

The county is well drained by the Snake, Kettle, Pine, Sand, Crooked, 
Tamarac, Grindstone and Spruce rivers. 

The area of the county is 1,444.5 square miles, or 924,477.58 acres, 
of which 908,632.83 acres are land, and 15,845.68 acres are water. The 
county has 1,990 farms. The average value per acre of land in this 
county for 1907 was $12.87. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 14,869, of which 9,847 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
782; Sweden, 1,904; Norway, 382; Great Britain and Ireland, 560; 
Denmark, 41; Bohemia, 359; Poland, 225; Finland, 366; Austria, 159; 
Eussia, 41; other countries, 203. Their occupations are the various 
agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of which 
the county has 37, with an invested capital of $1,236,243. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 17.5 bu. ; oats, 32.93 bu. ; corn, 27.95 bu. ; 
barley, 21.49 bu. ; rye, 15.95 bu. ; flax, 9.64 bu. ; buckwheat, 10.96 bu. 

The hay crop averaged 1.66 tons per acre, and in vegetables, potatoes 
averaged 90.4 bushels, onions, 107.61 bushels, while miscellaneous vege- 
tables had an average value per acre of $38.50. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on quite 
extensively in this county. In 1906 the county had 4 creameries, the 
output of which was 782,138 lbs. of butter. Also, one cheese factory 
with an output of 20,907 lbs. of cheese. 



PIPESTONE COUNTY 



157 



The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 4,359, 
average value per head, $58.15; cattle, 16,345, average value per head, 
$19.92; sheep, 4,080, average value per head, $2.60; swine, 3,188, aver- 
age value per head, $4.57. 

The county has 6 banks, the deposits of which are $334,879.69. It 
has 85 rural schools, 7 graded schools, 4 high schools and 46 churches 
with denominations as follows: Catholic, German and Swedish Luther- 
an, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal and 
Advents. It also has 5 newspapers. 

The county has 8 villages, viz: Brook Park, population, 161; Bruno, 
218; Hinckley, 471; Pine City, 1,092; Eutledge, 219; Sandstone, 1,589; 
Sturgeon Lake, 162; Willow Biver, 571. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $5,041,879, 
of which $771,211 was personal property. 

On January 1, 1909, there were, in this county, 6,009 acres of school 
lands unsold. 

Unimproved land can be purchased in this county from $5 to $10 
per acre. Improved land can be had from $10 to $30 per acre, according 
to improvements and proximity to markets. 

PIPESTONE COUNTY. 

This county was organized May 23, 1857, with the county seat at 
Pipestone, and is situated in the southwestern part of the state about 
160 miles from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being connected 
therewith by the Great Northern, Omaha, Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, 
Chicago & Northwestern, and Bock Island railroads, which traverse 
all sections of the county. 

The soil is a dark loam, with a clay subsoil. The surface, like all 
southern counties of the state, is fine, undulating prairie, interspersed 
with small groves of timber. 

The county is well drained by several streams which rise in the cen- 
tral part of the county and flow in all directions, the principal ones be- 
ing the Eock, Eedwood and Split Eock rivers. 

The area of the county is 463.27 square miles, or 296,493.57 acres 
of which 295,881.75 acres are land, and 611.76 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 1,085 farms, at an average value per acre 
of $33.90. 

Nearly every farm home is supplied with United States rural free 
delivery, and local and long distance telephones are within reach of all. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 9,662, of which 7,803 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 721; 
Sweden, 136; Norway, 349; Great Britain and Ireland 316; Denmark, 
154; Austria, 21; other countries, 157'. Their occupations being the 
various agricultural pursuits and manufacturing industries of which the 
county has 45, with an invested capital of $119,920. 



158 



POLK COUNTY 



The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: Wheat, 12.72 bu. ; oats, 34.3 bu. ; corn, 26.35 bu. ; 
barley, 26.74 bu.; rye, 10.27 bu.; flax, 10.85 bu. ; buckwheat, 11.36 bu. 

The hay crop averaged 1.5 tons per acre, while in vegetables, pota- 
toes averaged 83.1 bushels, and miscellaneous vegetables had an average 
value per acre of $52.25. 

In addition to the above,liye stock, dairying and fruit raising are 
extensively carried on in this county. In 1906 it had 5 creameries, the 
output of which was 556,791 lbs. of butter. 

Live stock for 1908 was as follows: horses, 6,751, average value per 
head, $54.49; cattle, 19,529, average value per head, $17.97; sheep, 
26,475, average value per head, $2.62; swine, 13,560, average value per 
head, $5.51. 

The county has 10 banks, the deposits of which are $1,160,000. ' It 
has 67 rural schools; 6 graded schools; 1 high school, and 24 churches 
with denominations as follows: Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, 
Episcopal and Catholic. It also has 7 newspapers. 

There is 1 city and 6 villages in this county, viz: Pipestone City, 
population, 2,885; Edgerton, 380; Holland, 221; Jasper, 520; Kuthton, 
323; Troska, 325; Woodstock, 280. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $4,755,151, 
of which $877,799.00 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county from $25 to $60 per acre, ac- 
cording to improvements and proximity to markets. 

POLK COUNTY. 

This county was organized July 20, 1858, with the ounty seat at 
Crookston, and is situated in the northwestern part of the state. The 
soil is a rich, black sandy loam with a clay subsoil. 

The surface of this countyisdivided.into two parts, the western half 
being prairie, and the eastern portion of the county, which was originally 
covered with a dense growth of pine and hardwood timber, is being rapid- 
ly cleared and transformed into some of the finest farms in the state. 

The county is well drained, as the western portion lies in the famous 
Bed Eiver Valley, the eastern half of the county being drained by the 
Red Lake, Clearwater, and several other rivers. 

The area of the county is 1,934.18 square miles, or 1,307,822.97 acres, 
of which 1,281,004.3 acres are land, and 26,818.67 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 4,024 farms, at an average value per acre 
of 22.72. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 37,212, of which 25,264 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 



POPE COUNTY 



159 



845; Sweden, 1,707; Norway, 6,358; Great Britain and Ireland, 2,183; 
Denmark, 205; Bohemia, 205; Austria, 80; Enssia, 174; France, 22; 
other countries, 169. 

Their occupations are agricultural pursuits, together with manu- 
facturing industries of which the county has 102, with an invested capi- 
tal of $1,230,365. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 13.5 bu:; oats, 28.7 bu. ; corn, 26.12 bu.; bar- 
ley, 21.19 bu. ; rye, 16.11 bu. ; flax, 10.43 bu. ; buckwheat, 8.59 bu. 

The hay crop 'had an average yield of 1.5 tons per acre. In vege- 
tables, potatoes averaged 153.16 bushels; onions, 257.17 bushels, ancl 
miscellaneous vegetables had an average value of $61.22 per acre. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying and fruit raising are 
extensively carried on in this county. 

In 1906 the county had 17 creameries, the output of which was 1,034,- 
924 lbs. of butter, also 4 cheese factories with an output of 186,011 lbs. 
of cheese. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 17,135, 
average value per head, $56.19; cattle, 48,598, average value per head, 
$15.98; sheep, 12,175, average value per head, $1.77; swine, 9,130, aver- 
age value per head, $2.44. 

The ocunty has 20 banks, the deposits of which are $3,517,281.60. 
It has 204 rural schools, 2 graded schools, 5 high schools, 4 private 
schools, and 117 churches, with denominations as follows: Catholic, 
Lutheran, Evangelical, Advent, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Congregational, 
Methodist, Baptist, Latter-day Saints and Christian Science. It also has 
8 newspapers. 

The county has two cities and ten villages, viz : Crookston, city, pop- 
ulation, 6,794; East Grand Forks, 2,489; Beltrami, 210; Climax, 242; 
Erskine, 284; Euclid, 128; Fertile, 623; Fisher, 387; Fosston, 1,000; 
Lengby, 142; Mcintosh, 671; Mentor, 280. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $11,235,634, 
of which $2,300,716 was personal property. 

On January 1st, 1909, there were 5,114 acres of school lands unsold; 
also, 790 acres of government land subject to homestead entry. 

Land can be purchased in this county from $10 to $50 an acre, ac- 
cording to improvements and proximity to markets. 

POPE COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20th, 1862, with the county seat 
at Stockholm which was afterwards moved to Glenwood, the present 
county seat. It is located about 50 miles south and a little west of the 
center of the state, and consists of 24 townships, or about 460,000 acres 
of land. This section is commonly called "the park region of Minnesota/' 
on account of its timber, lakes and streams. 



POPE COUNTY 



161 



The soil is a black and sandy loam with a clay subsoil. The surface 
is undulating prairie diversified with numerous meadows, timber, lakes 
and streams. 

This county possesses all the attributes common to this portion of the 
state. In soil, climate and people you will find all that could be claimed 
by the most favored sections of this region. All kinds of vegetables are 
produced growing to a large size, and of excellent flavor. Potatoes es- 
pecially appear to be native to the soil. Their quality is unsurpassed, 
and yield enormously. But recently has any attention been given to the 
raising of corn, although for twenty years it has been raised in small 
quantities with remarkable success. At the great World's Fair at Chi- 
cago, Pope county carried off two prizes on corn, one on wheat and four on 
flax. While it is true that heretofore wheat raising has been the chief 
industry of this section, all this is now fast changing and diversified 
farming is becoming the general rule. Clover and grasses grow lux- 
uriantly and are exceedingly rich and nutritious, and this with the 
demonstrated fact that corn and all feed crops are unfailing is fast lead- 
ing the farmers into the raising of cattle and hogs. 

The cereal crop and average bushels per acre, according to last 
statistics, were as follows: wheat, 13.66 bu. ; oats, 30.74 bu.; corn, 29.45 
bu. ; barley, 28 bu. ; flax, 10.46 bu. ; buckwheat, 13 bu. ; rye, 13.52 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.32 tons per acre, while in vege- 
tables potatoes averaged 98.2 bushels; onions, 157.5, and miscellaneous 
vegetables had an average value per acre of $47.21. In 1906 the county 
had 7 creameries with an output of 498,259 lbs. of butter. The live stock 
of the county for 1908 was as follows : horses, 9,278, average value per 
head, $53.73 ; cattle, 26,780, average value per head, $14.53 ; sheep, 5,315, 
average value per head, $2.56; swine, 8,096, average value per head, 
$3.46. The county has 9 banks, the deposits of which are $600,000. It 
has 94 rural schools, 2 graded schools, 2 high schools, and 35 churches 
with denominations as follows: Lutheran, Methodist, Catholic, Congre- 
gational, Presbyterian and Episcopal. It also has 5 weekly newspapers. 
The county has 2,006 farms. 

Nearly every farm in this county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery and telephone systems. 

This county is traversed by three railroads, viz : Soo Line, Northern 
Pacific and Great Northern. At Glenwood the Winnipeg branch of the 
Soo leaves the main line. Here also will be the division headquarters 
of the Glenwood-Duluth line now under construction by the Soo Com- 
pany, thus giving the county two direct lines to Duluth and three to the 
Twin Cities, placing the principal markets of the state within easy ac- 
cess to all portions of the county. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 13,364 of which 9,788 
were native born, the foreign poulation being as follows : Germany, 206 ; 
Bohemia, 59 ; Sweden, 609 ; Norway, 2,287 ; Great Britain and Ireland, 
346; Denmark, 58; other countries, 11. Their occupations are the va- 



162 



RAMSEY COUNTY 



rious agricultural occupations, together with manufacturing industries 
of which the county has 23, with an invested capital of $59,140. 

The county has 8 villages, viz: Glenwood, population, 1,718; Cyrus, 
305; Lowrjr, 284; Starbuck, 535; Sedan, 112; Villard, 292; Farwell, 
100 ; Westport, 100. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $5,363,266, 
of which $1,021,977 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county from $25 to $50 per acre, de- 
pending on the quality, location and improvements upon same. 

RAMSEY COUNTY. 

This county was organized October 27, 1849, with the county seat 
at St. Paul. It is situated in the eastern part of the state, being bounded 
on the north by Anoka count}^, on the east by Washington, on the south \ 
by the Mississippi river which separates it from Dakota county, on the' 
west by Hennepin and part of Anoka counties. 

The area is 187.15 square miles, or 119,744.05 acres, of which 111,- 
168.71 acres are land, and 8,605.34 acres are water. 

Eamsey county was originally a portion of the area of old St. Croix 
county, Wisconsin Territory. St. Paul was the voting precinct of that 
county in 1846. In 1849, the first legislature of the Territory of Min- 
nesota organized several counties, and among others Ramsey, naming 
it after Hon. Alexander Eamsey, the first governor of the Territory. 

The county of Eamsey, as at first organized, extended north to the 
southern line of Itaska county and embraced the east three-quarters of 
what is now Anoka, the east one-half and northwest quarter of Isanti 
county, the east half of Mille Lacs, southeast tAvo-thirds of Aitkin, and 
the whole area now embraced in Kanabec county. It was reduced to its 
present limits in 1866. 

The county contains about 4 1-2 townships, two townships being good 
farm lands, the balance sandy and broken, interspersed with occasional 
tracts of fair land. On account of its proximity to the city, land in the 
vicinity of St. Paul is very valuable, ranging from $50 to $150 an acre* 
according to location. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 206,330, of which 147,178 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows : Germany, 
16,672 ; Sweden, 12,365 ; Norway, 4,291; Great Britain and Ireland, 
14,286; Denmark, 1,423; Bohemia, 1,071; Poland, 1,345 ; Austria, 2,068; 
Rusia, 2,002; France, 272; other countries, 3,357. Their occupations are 
truck farming, gardening, dairying, poultry and fruit raising, together 
with manufacturing industries of which the county has 1605, with an 
invested capital of $36,401,282. The live stock of the county for 1908 
was as follows: horses, 8,662, average value per head, $114.67; cattle, 
7,687, average value per head, $33.60; sheep, 280, average value per 
head, $3.48; swine, 2,656, average value per head, $9.89. 

In 1906 the county had 7 creameries, with an output of 8,199,807 
lbs. of butter. 



RED LAKE COUNTY 



163 



The county has one city and three villages, viz : St. Paul, population, 
197,023; New Brighton, 362; North St. Paul, 1,400; White Bear Lake, 
1,724. St. Paul, the county seat, is also the capital of the state of 
Minnesota. 

The following figures will give the reader an idea of the prosperity 
St. Paul has enjoyed since 1900: 

1900 1907 

Bank Deposits 21,812,738 39,928,790 

Bank Clearings 247,060,964 484,891,667 

Post Office Eeceipts 521,367 1,002,474 

Manufacturing Capital 25,659,214 (1905) 36,401,282 

Manufactured Products 30,056,079 (1905) 38,318,701 

Property Valuations 86,637,646 104,811,850 

Building Permits 2,753,907 8,057,981 

Real Estate Transfers 4,848,114 9,328,238 

Every farm home in this county is supplied with United States rural 
free deliveries and telephone systems. Schools, and churches of all de- 
nominations are scattered over the county. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $110,677,695, 
of which $24,243,206 was personal property. 



RED LAKE COUNTY. 

This county was organized December 24, 1896, with the county seat 
at Eed Lake Falls, and is situated in the northwestern part of the state. 
It is bounded on the north by Marshall county, east by Beltrami and 
Clearwater counties, and on the south and west by Polk county. 

The soil is very rich and productive, being a black loam with a clay 
subsoil. The character of the county varies considerabty, the greater 
part of it being gently rolling; other parts sparsely timbered, while still 
in other sections we find dense hardwood timber. 

The county is well watered by the Red Lake, Clearwater, Hill, Thief 
and Black rivers. 

The area of the county is 1,116 square miles, or 714,050.28 acres, of 
which 713,438.52 acres are land, and 611.76 acres are water. The land 
surface is divided into 2,082 farms at an average value per acre of $17.36. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 15,955, of which 10,938 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows : Germany, 
371; Sweden, 884; Norway, 2,2'52 ; Great Britain and Ireland, 1,258; 
Denmark, 85; Poland, 44; Austria, 103; other countries, 20. Their 
occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with manufac- 
turing industries of which the county has 30, with an invested capital 
of $1,744,097. 



164 



REDWOOD COUNTY 



The cereal crop, and average bushels per acre, according to last 
statistics, were as follows: wheat, 13.53 bu. ; oats, 29.17 bu.; corn, 27.79 
bu. ; barley, 19.1 bu. ; rye, 12.77 bu.; flax, 8.45 bu.; buckwheat, 10.7 bu. 

The hay crop averaged 1.55 tons per acre, and in vegetables, potatoes 
averaged 105.36 bushels; onions, 154.67 bushels, and miscellaneous veg- 
etables had an average value per acre of $42.76. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively. In 1906 the county had 7 creameries, with an output of 565,205 
lbs. of butter; also, 4 cheese factories with an output of 113,526 lbs. oi 
cheese. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 5,867, 
average value per head, $56.46; cattle, 25,624, average value per head, 
$16.34; sheep, 4,685, average value per head, $1.72; swine, 5,512, aver- 
age value per head, $3.62. 

The county has 11 banks, the deposits of which are $1,053,384.71. 
It has 108 rural schools, 1 graded school, 2 high schools, and 18 churches, 
divided as follows : Catholic, 7 ; Presbyterian, 2 ; Methodist, 2 ; German 
Lutheran, 1; Swedish and Norwegian Lutheran, 7. It also has 6 news- 
papers. 

The Northern Pacific, Great Northern and Soo railroads, which tra- 
verse all portions of the county, furnish excellent transportation facilities 
to the best markets in the northwest. 

The county has two cities and four villages, viz : Red Lake Falls, pop- 
ulation, 1,797; Thief River Falls, 3,502; Plummer village, 139; St. Hil- 
aire, 911; Lambert, 600; Terre Bonne, 100. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $3,963,729, 
of which $918, 117 was personal property. 

On January 1, 1909, there were, in this county, 9,017 acres of state . 
school lands unsold. Also 3,928 acres of government land subject to 
homestead entry. Land can be purchased in this county from $5 to 
$35 per acre, according to location and improvements. 

REDWOOD COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 6, 1862, with the county seat at 
Redwood Falls. It is situated in the southwestern part of the state, 
about 100 miles from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being con- 
nected therewith by the Minneapolis & St. Louis and Chicago & North- 
western railroads, which traverse all parts of the county. 

The soil is very fertile, being a deep, rich dark loam, with a clay 
subsoil. There is scarsely any waste land in the county. The surface 
is undulating, while along the Minnesota, Redwood and Cottonwood 
rivers there is some timber, the principal varieties being elm, ash, oak, 
maple, cottonwood and red cedar. 

The county is well drained by the above named rivers, which flow 
through all parts of the county. 



166 



RENVILLE COUNTY 



The area of the county is 893.83 square miles, or 572,052.8? acres, 
of which 557,122.74 acres are land, and 14,930.13 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 2,466 farms at an average value 
per acre of $37.08. 

Every farm home in this county is supplied with United States rural 
free delivery, and local and long distance telephones are within reach of 
all. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 19,034, of which 14,957 
were native born, the foreign population is as follows: Germany, 1,897; 
Sweden, 327; Norway, 508; Great Britain and Ireland, 501; Austria, 
206; Denmark, 569; other countries, 69. Their occupations are the 
various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of 
which the county has 67, with an invested capital of $216,830. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows : wheat, 15.36 bu. ; oats, 42.24 bu. ; corn, 32.29 
bu.; barley, 31.63 bu. ; rye, 16;71 bu. ; flax, 10.92 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.88 tons per acre, and in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 103.54 bushels; onions, 140 bushels, and miscellan- 
eous vegetables had an average value of $38.98 per acre. 

Live stock, dairying and fruit raising are extensively carried on in 
this county. In 1906 the county had 16 creameries with an output of 
843,290 lbs. of butter. The live stock for 1908 was as follows: horses, 
14,710, average value per head, $62.63; cattle, 33,060, average value 
per head, $18.88; sheep, 11,165, average value per head, $2.62: swine, 
19,890, average value per head, $6.39. 

The county has 20 banks, the deposits of which are $1,400,000. It 
has 104 rural schools ; 5 graded schools ; 2 high schools ; 1 private school, 
and 60 churches, with denominations as follows: Methodist, Presby- 
terian, Catholic, German and Scandinavian Lutheran and Episcopal. It 
also has 12 newspapers. 

The county has one city and 15 villages, viz: Redwood Falls, city, t 
population, 1,806; Belview, 318; Clements, 107; Delhi, 174; Lamberton, 
657; Lucan, 89 ; Milroy, 173; Morgan, 608; North Redwood, 126; 
Revere, 171 ; Sanborn, 549 ; Seaf orth, 195 ; Vesta, 286 ; Wabasso, 388 ; 
Walnut Grove, 392 ; Wanda, 179. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $11,439,258, 
of which $1,750,388 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county from $25 to $75 an acre, accord- 
ing to improvements and proximity to markets. 

RENVILLE COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20, 1855, the county seat being 
at Olivia. It is situated on the north bank of the Minnesota river, in 
the central portion of the state. It is about 75 miles from the cities of 
Minneapolis and St. Paul, being connected therewith by the Chicago, 



168 



RENVILLE COUNTY 



Milwaukee & St. Paul and Minneapolis & St. Louis railroads, which 
traverse the northern and southern portions of the county. 

The soil is a rich, black loam, with a clay subsoil. The surface is un- 
dulating prairie, interspersed with frequent groves of hardwood timber 
along the streams. 

The Minnesota river has a drop of 150 feet from the table land to 
the water's edge, thus forming a complete and adequate drainage sys- 
tem for the county. 

The area of the county is 981.31 square miles, or 628,036.58 acres, 
of which 621,650.89 acres are land, and 6,385.69 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 3,258 farms at an average value of $38.88 
per acre. 

Almost every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery, local and long distance telephones, in addition 
to being close to a good local market. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 24,032 of which 18,004 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
2,230; Sweden, 1,040; Norway, 1,490; Great Britain and Ireland, 413; 
Bohemia, 345; Finland, 117; Denmark, 103; Austria, 132; other coun- 
tries, 147. Their occupations are, in a large measure, the various kinds 
of agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of which 
the county has 73, with an invested capital of $346,516. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, was as follows: wheat, 16.42 bu. ; oats, 41.11 bu. ; corn, 29.84 bu. ; 
barley, 30.26 bu. ; flax, 11.88 bu. ; rye, 16.46 bu. In vegetables, potatoes 
averaged 88.79 bu. ; onions 194 bu. ; and miscellaneous vegetables had an 
average walue per acre of $41.06. 

Timothy, clover, redtop and alfalfa grasses grow abundantly, and 
yield large crops. Eoot crops of all kinds grow in this county, and some 
of the farmers are raising sugar beets, although this branch of industry 
has not, as yet, attained any great degree of prominence ; but enough has 
been grown to show that the soil and climate are adapted to the raising 
of this product. 

In addition to the cereal, hay and root crops, live stock, dairying 
and fruit raising are among the county's most prominent industries. In 
1906 the county had 20 creameries, the output of which was 1,120,964 
lbs. of butter. The live stock for 1908 was as follows : horses, 17,7*59, 
average value per head, $53.34; cattle, 35,283, average value per head, 
$16.20; sheep, 8,050, average value per head, $1.74; swine, 19,876, aver- 
age value per head, $3.52. 

The county has 16 banks, the deposits of which are $1,657,177.17. 
It has 132 rural schools, 10 grade schools, 6 high schools, 2 private 
schools, and 64 churches with denominations as follows : Catholic, Meth- 
odist Episcopal, Presbyterian, Christian, Episcopal, Baptist, German 
Evangelical, German and Swedish Lutheran, Swedish United Lutheran, 



RICE COUNTY 



169 



Norwegian Synod of America, and Norwegian Lutheran United Church 
of America. It also has 11 newspapers. 

The county has 1 city and 9 villages, viz : Eenville City, population, 
1,229; Bird Island, 907; Buffalo Lake, 474; Danube, 141; Fairfax, 775; 
Franklin, 524; Hector, 774; Morton, 755; Olivia, 1,019; Sacred Heart, 
639. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $11,202,437, 
of which $1,814,343 was personal property. 

Land in this county can be purchased for $30 an acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

RICE COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 5, 1853, with the county seat at 
Faribault, and is situated about 50 miles south of the Twin Cities, being 
connected therewith by the Chicago & Northwestern, Chicago, Milwaukee 
& St. Paul, and Eock Island railroads which traverse all portions of the 
county. 

The soil is a rich, black loam with a clay subsoil. The surface of 
the county is open land, but much diversified in appearance. The streams 
of the county, which are numerous, have cut the high table lands into 
small and beautiful valleys, yet have left enough of the high land to 
form the principal farm area. 

The area of the county is 505 square miles', or 322,560.7 acres, of 
which 311,505.87 acres are land, and 11,054.83 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 2,501 farms at an average value per acre of 
$71.60. 

The cereal crop and average bushels per acre, according to last 
statistics, were as follows: wheat, 17.27 bu. ; oats, 36.57 bu. ; corn, 34.98 
bu.; barley, 29.64 bu.; rye, 14.05 bu. ; flax, 12.45 bu.; buckwheat, 12.38 
bu. The hay crop averaged 1.77 tons per acre, while in vegetables, pota- 
toes averaged 90.02 bushels, onions 256.17 bushels, and miscellaneous 
vegetables had an average value per acre of $36.54. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively in this county. In 1906 the county had 15 creameries, the output 
of which was 1,478,372 lbs. of butter. It also had 1 cheese factory with 
an output of 125,000 lbs. of cheese. The live stock of the county for 
1908 was as follows: horses, 9,645, average value per head, $59.85; cat- 
tle, 33,605, average value per head, $20.43; sheep, 6,390, average value 
per head, $2.60; swine, 13,840, average value per head, $5.03. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 26,247, of which 19,942 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: German}', 
1,585 ; Sweden, 332 ; Norway, 1,031 ; Great Britain and Ireland, 1,170 ; 
Denmark, 144; Bohemia, 619; Austria, 63; France, 32; other countries, 
186. Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together 
with manufacturing industries, of which the county has 178 with m in- 
vested capital of $1,144,731. 



170 



ROCK COUNTY 



Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free deliveries, and local and long distance telephones. 

The county has 7 hanks,- the deposits of which are $2,617,402.23. It 
has 112 rural schools, 6 graded schools, 2 high schools, and 48 churches 
with denominations as follows: Catholic, German, Swedish and Nor- 
wegian Lutheran, German and English Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal, 
Presb}^terian, Congregational and Christian Science. 

The county has 2 cities and six villages, viz. : Faribault, population 
8,279; Northfield, 3,438; Dundas, village, 399; Lonsdale, 172; Mor- 
ristown, 574; Nerstrand, 272; Wesley, 304; Wheatland, 80. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $9,661,093, 
of which $2,253,057 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $40 an acre and upwards, ac- 
cording to improvements and proximity to markets. 

ROOK COUNTY. 

'This county was organized May 23, 1857, with the county seat at 
Luverne, and is lo sated in the extreme southwestern corner of the state. 
It is bounded on the north by Pipestone county, on the east by Nobles 
county, on the south by the state of Iowa, and on the west by South Da- 
kota. 

The soil is a deep, dark loam with a clay subsoil. The surface is 
undulating prairie, drained by the Rock river and its tributaries. 

The area of the county is 482.67 square miles, or 308,910.15 acres, 
of which 307,736.11 acres are land, and 1,174.04 acres are water. The 
land area is divided into 1,440 farms at an average value per acre of 
$41.13. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 14.1 bu. ; oats, 33.9 bu. ; corn, 33.77 bu. ; 
barley, 28.23 bu. ; rye, 14.02 bu. ; flax, 12.59 bu. ; buckwheat, 10 bu. 
The hay crop had an average of 1.88 tons per acre, wmile in vege- 
tables, potatoes averaged 111.04 bu. ; and miscellaneous vegetables 
had an average value per acre of $37.53. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry, and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively in this county. In 1906 the county had 4 creameries, the output 
of which was 476,286 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county foi 
1908 was as follows: horses, 8,414, average value per head, $53.55; cat- 
tle, 27,220, average value per head, $17.87; sheep, 22,035, average value 
per head, $2.59 ; swine, 25,250, average value per head, $4.33. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 9,729, of which 7,359 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 882; 
Sweden, 66; Norway, 1,046; Great Britain and Ireland, 218; Denmark, 
72; other countries, 86. Their occupations are the various agricultural 
pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of which the county has 



ROSEAU COUNTY 



171 



27 with an invested capital of $93,506. The county has 7 banks, the 
deposits of which are $872,465.22. It has 68 rural schools, 5 graded 
schools, 1 high school, and 21 churches divided as follows: German 
Lutheran, 2 ; Norwegian Lutheran, 7 ; Catholic, 1 ; Presbyterian, 4 ; Meth- 
odist, 3; Unitarian, 1; Episcopal, 1; Baptist, 2. It also has 6 news- 
papers. 

The county is well supplied with transportation facilities, having 
4 railroads, viz : Great Northern, Rock Island, Omaha and Illinois Cen- 
tral, which bring all portions of the county within easy access to all the 
markets of the state. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free deliveries, and local and long distance telephones. 

The county has one city and five villages, viz. : Luverne City, 
population, 2,272; Beaver Creek, 202; Hardwick, 269; Hills, 320; 
Jasper (part of), 99; Magnolia, 196. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $6,308,629, 
of which $1,050,980 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $30 an acre and upwards, 
according to improvements, location to markets, etc. 

ROSEAU COUNTY. 

This county was organized December 31, 1894, with the county seat 
at Roseau, and is situated in the extreme northern part of the state, 
bordering on Canada and the Lake of the Woods. 

The soil is a dark loam and sandy loam with a clay subsoil. The 
western portion of the county is prairie, although some parts of sair 
are covered with small brush which is easily cleared. This part of the 
county is rolling land, drained by the tributaries of the Bosseau river 
into the Bed River of the North. The eastern portion of the county was 
originally covered with a dense growth of timber, mostly hardwood, and 
large tracts of swamp lands are found here. These, however, are being 
drained by the united efforts of the state and county authorities, and 
when completed these swamp lands will be measured among the most 
productive agricultural lands in the state. 

This county is comparatively neAv, having been formed from the east- 
ern part of Kittson county a few years ago. At that time the district 
which now composes Roseau county might be said to have been new or 
undeveloped, as there had been little settlement in that part of the. coun- 
ty. It is now being developed so that what was wilderness a few years 
ago, now presents a scene of prosperous farm homes. 

The area of the county is 1,716.95 square miles, or 1,092,176.77 acres, 
of which 1,082,592.36 acres are land, and 9,584.41 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 1,772 farms with an average value per acre 
of $9.08. 

The county is well supplied with United States rural free delivery, 
local and long distance telephones, and railroads, there being two, the 



172 



ST. LOUIS COUNTY 



Great Northern, which enters the county in the southwest corner and 
traverses to the northeast corner, and the Canadian Northern which runs 
across the northeast portion of the county. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 11,191, of which 7,036 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
246; Sweden, 1,327; Norway, 1,797; Great Britain and Ireland, 429; 
Denmark, 36; Bohemia, 127; Poland, 215; other countries, 75. Their 
occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with manu- 
turing industries of which the county has 19, with an invested capital 
of $52,500. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre for 1907 was as fol- 
lows : wheat, 12 bu. ; oats, 23 bu. ; corn, 20 bu. ; barley, 20 bu. ; rye, 
16 bu. ; flax, 11 bu. 

The hay croy averaged 2 tons per acre, and in vegetables, pota- 
toes averaged 130 bushels, onions 75 bushels, and miscellaneous vege- 
tables had an average value per acre of $45. 

Live stock, dairying and small fruit raising are rapidly coming to 
the front in this county. In 1906 the county had 3 creameries, the out- 
put of which was 166,245 lbs. of butter; also, one cheese factory with 
an output of 11,000 lbs. of cheese. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows : horses, 4,320, 
average value per head, $44.37; cattle, 17,783, average value per head, 
$21.11; sheep, 8,225, average value per head, $2.60 ; swine, 2,202, aver- 
age value per head, $3.57. During the year 1906 farmers in this 
county received from the sale of live stock, $62,076. They also sold 
387,142 dozens of eggs. 

The county has 8 banks, the deposits of which are $363,896.17. It 
has 100 rural schools, 4 graded schools, 12 private schools, and 20 
churches with the following denominations: Free Norwegian, United 
Norwegian, S}^nod Norwegian, Swedish Mission, Swedish Baptist, 
Methodist-Episcopal, Episcopal Advent, English and Polish Catholic. 
It also has 8 newspapers. 

The county has 5 incorporated villages, viz. : Badger, population, 297 ; 
Greenbush, 295; Boseau, 486; Warroad, 536; Pelan (part of), 30. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $2,539,179. 

On January 1st, 1909, there were in this county 37,833 acres of 
school lands unsold; also, 247,000 acres of government lands, subject 
to homestead entry. 

Wild land can be had in this county at $3.00 an acre and upwards, 
while improved lands can be had at $10 and upwards, according to im- 
provements and proximity to markets. 

ST. LOUIS COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 3, 1855, with the county seat at 
Duluth. It is situated in the northeastern part of the state, being 
bounded on the north by the Eainy River which separates it from 



ST. LOUIS COUNTY 



173 



Canada, on the east by Lake county, south by Lake Superior and Carl- 
ton county, and on the west by Aitkin, Itasca and Koochiching counties. 

In area this is the largest county in the state, having 6,611.75 square 
miles, or 4,230,520.94 acres of which 3,735,846.26 acres are land and 
495,674.68 acres are water. The surface is rolling, and largely covered 
with native timber such as pine, poplar, birch, tamarac, spruce, cedar, 
ash, maple and oak, which is being rapidly cut off but enough is still 
standing to afford the settler fuel and building material. 

The soil is a rich black loam and a clay subsoil, and is very produc- 
tive. The northern part of the county is drained by the Vermillion 
river into the Eainy river, and the southern part by the St. Louis river 
into Lake Superior. In agricultural pursuits this county is in its in- 
fancy, as the total land area under cultivation is only 59,950 acres. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows : horses, 7,906, 
average value per head, $98.74; cattle, 9,976, average value per head, 
$28.64; sheep, 760, average value per head, $3.48; swine, 2,366, average 
value per head, $5.25. In 1906 the county had 1 creamery with an out- 
put of 1,002,274 lbs. of butter. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 117,513, of which 62,659 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
2,672; Sweden, 11,146; Norway, 5,866; Great Britain and Ireland, 
11,690; Denmark, 409; Poland, 1,372; Finland, 12,076; Austria, 5,451; 
Eussia, 1,105; France, 86; other countries, 2,981. 

Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, lumbering, 
and mining, together with manufacturing industries of which the coun- 
ty has 504 with an invested capital of $11,699,793. 

This county is the mainstay of the steel industry of the United 
States, as it contains iron mining districts that furnish two-thirds of 
the iron mined in the United States and which product annually ex- 
ceeds that of any single nation on the globe (other than Spain and 
Great Britain, a close second to each of which it is, and either of 
which it may shortly surpass). It is not out of the way to say that 
250,000 people derive their support from these mines. 

The county has 5 cities and 14 villages within its borders, viz. : Du- 
luth, city, population 64,942; Ely, 4,045; Eveleth, 5,332; Tower, 1,340; 
Virginia, 6,057; Ashawa village, 70; Aurora, 336; Biwabik, 946; Buhl, 
788; Chisholm, 4,231; Fall Lake, 294; Floodwood, 423; Hibbing, 
6,566; Iron Junction, 84; McKinley, 232; Mountain Iron, 604; Proc- 
tor Knott, 936; Sparta, 960; and Winton, 390. 

Duluth, at the head of the Lakes (where rails and water meet), is 
the third city in the state, the following figures will show its growth 
since 1900 : 



174 



SCOTT COUNTY 



1900 1905 
Population, 52,969 6-1,942. 

1900. 1906. 

Assessed valuation city real and 

personal $ 24,600,333.00 $ 33,612,763.00 

Postal Receipts 107,532.24 244,814.12 

Valuation building permits 884,211.00 2,761,023.00 

Assessed valuation, St. Louis coun- 
ty 44,390,484.00 ( 1908 >223,006,780.00 

Iron ore shipped, tons 9,465,355 25,585,237 

Coal receipts, tons 2,676,577 5,324,540 

Lake freight received and shipped, 

tons 11,725,245 29,171,221 

Valuation of lake freight received 

and shipped $135,109,196.00 $251,899,844.00 

Number of grain elevators, 22. 

Capacity of grain elevators, bush- 
els 35,550,000 

Grain receipts, bushels 46,851,111 81,784,491 

Grain shipments, bushels 44,602,865 83,623,242 

Number of boats, arrivals and 

departures 11,334 14,854 

Lumber cut, Duluth district, feet. . 567,482,000 827,903,000 

Number of railroads entering city, 9. 

On January 1st, 1909, there were in this county 275,479 acres of 

state school lands unsold; also, 122,000 acres of United States govern- 
ment land subject to homestead entry. 

Wild land can be purchased in this county at $4.00 per acre and 

upwards, and partly improved farm lands can be had at $15 per acre 

and upwards, according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

SCOTT COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 5, 1853, with the county seat at 
Shakopee. It is situated in the east central part of the state, 30 
miles south of the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being connect- 
ed therewith by the Minneapolis & St. Louis, Omaha, and Milwaukee 
railroads, which bring all farms in close proximity to first-class mar- 
kets. 

'The soil is a black loam, with a clay subsoil. The original surface 
of the land was about one-third prairie and bottom land, the balance 
being timber, brush, marsh and wild-meadow lands, which has been 
transformed into some of the finest farms in the state. The county is 
well watered, containing about 30 large lakes, and the Minnesota river 
which traverses half-way around the county. 

The area of the county is 358.6 square miles, or 229,501.8 acres, of 
which 219,344.22 acres are land, and 10,157.58 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 1,646 farms at an average value per 
acre of $44.06. 



SHERBURNE COUNTY 



175 



Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery. Local and long distance telephones are with- 
in reach of all. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 15,094, of which 11,937 
were native born, the foreign population being, Germany, 1,706; Sweden, 
81; Norway, 205; Great Britain and Ireland, 427; Bohemia, 443; Aus- 
tria, 153,; Eussia, 49; France, 23; other countries, 70. 

Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with 
manufacturing industries of which the county has 83, with an in- 
vested capital of $572,333. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows : wheat, 18.36 bu. ; oats, 37.41 bu. ; corn, 39.87 bu. ; 
barley, 32.51 bu.; rye, 18.94 bu.; flax, 13.05 bu. ; buckwheat, 12.75 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 2.25 tons per acre, while in vege- 
tables, potatoes averaged 84.37 bu. ; onions, 169 bu., and miscellaneous 
vegetables had an average value of $37.99 per acre. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying and fruit raising are 
carried on extensively. In 1906 the county had 14 creameries, the out- 
put of which was 615,174 lbs. of butter. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was: horses, 6,278, average 
value per head, $64.67 ; cattle, 19,572, average value per head, $23.82; 
sheep, 3,740, average value per head, $2.60; swine, 8,728, average 
value per head, $4.51. 

The county has 7 banks, the deposits of which are $842,977.15. It 
has 61 rural schools, 6 graded schools, 4 high schools, and 30 churches, 
with denominations as follows : Catholic, 13 ; Methodist, 3 ; Presbyterian, 
5; Episcopal, 2; Lutheran, 7. 

The county has 4 cities and 4 villages, viz : Shakopee, population, 
2,069; New Prague (part of), 827; Jordan, 1,311; Belle Plaine, bor- 
ough, 1,301; Blakely village, 181; Hamilton, 222; New Market, 188; 
Prior Lake, 128. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $4,517,241, 
of which $877,081 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $35 per acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

SHERBURNE COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 25, 1856, with the county seat 
at Elk Elver, and is situated in the east central part of the state, 
about 30 miles north of the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being 
connected therewith by the Great Northern and Northern Pacific rail- 
roads. 

The soil is a dark loam and sandy loam with a clay subsoil. The 
surface is rolling, being originally covered with a dense growth of tim- 
ber, such as hardwood, pine, etc., which has been cut off and the land 
transformed into beautiful farms. 



W SHERBURNE COUNTY 




SIBLEY COUNTY 



177 



The county is well drained by the Elk Kiver, which, with its tribu- 
taries, traverses all portions of the county, together with the Mississippi 
river, which flows along the county's border for a distance of 50 miles. 

The area of the county is 468.88 square miles, or 300,086.12 acres, 
of which 287,180.4 acres are land, and 12,905.72 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into, 1,620 farms at an average value 
per acre of $19.38. Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied 
with United States rural free delivery, and local and long distance tele- 
phones are within reach of all. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 7,961, of which 5,977 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
312; Sweden, 564; Norway, 346; Great Britain and Ireland, 267; Den- 
mark, 156; Poland, 22; other countries, 31. Their occupations are the 
various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of 
which the county has 29, with an invested capital of $144,910. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 12.07 bu. ; oats, 23.61 bu. ; corn, 26.63 bu. ; 
barley, 25.15 bu. ; flax, 11 bu. ; rye, 10.82 bu. ; buckwheat, 9.39 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.5 per acre, while in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 133.16 bushels; onions, 162 bushels, and miscel- 
laneous vegetables had an average value of $49.26 per acre. 

In addition to the above, live stosk, dairying, and poultry raising 
are carried on extensively. In 1906 the county had 7 creameries, the 
output of which was 369,339 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the 
county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 3,842, average value per head. 
$60.67; cattle, 13,416, average value per head, $20.75; sheep, 1,750, 
average value per head, $4.33 ; swine, 3,572, average value per head, 
$6.57. 

The county has two banks, the deposits of which are $221,139.54. 
It has 47 rural schools, 6 graded schools, 1 high school, and 24 churches, 
divided as follows : Catholic, 3 ; Union, 4 ; Methodist, 5 ; Episcopal, 1 ; 
Swedish Lutheran, 5; Swedish Mission, 4; German Lutheran, 2. It 
also has 4 newspapers. 

It has one city and four villages, viz: St. Cloud (part of), popula- 
tion, 732; Becker village, 138; Big Lake, 260; Cedar Lake, 287; Elk 
River, 787'. 

The 1 total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $2,371,562, 
of which $433,091 was personal property. 

On January 1, 1909, there were 657 acres of school lands unsold in 
this county. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $10 per acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

SIBLEY COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 5, 1853, with the county seat at 
Henderson. It is situated in the south central part of the state, about 
50 miles from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being connected 



178 



STEARNS COUNTY 



therewith by the Minneapolis & St. Louis, and Chicago, St. Paul, Min- 
neapolis & Omaha railroads, which traverse all portions of the county. 

The soil is a deep, fertile, black loam, resting on a clay subsoil. 
The surface of Sibley county is undulating, drained by numerous lakes, 
creeks, and the Minnesota river. 

The area of the county is 597.73 square miles, or 382,545.75 acres, 
of which 362,808.14 acres are land, and 19,737.61 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 2,344 farms at an average value per acre 
of $37.73. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones are 
within reach of all. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 16,354, of which 12,869 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
2,280; Sweden, 869; Norway, 104; Great Britain and Ireland, 306; 
Denmark, 31 ; Kussia, 66 ; other countries, 27. Their occupations are 
the various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries 
of which the county has 50, with an invested capital of $244,300. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics were as follows: wheat, 16.98 bu. ; oats, 42.22 bu. ; corn, 34.17 bu. ; 
barley, 31.06 bu. ; rye, 18.5 bu. ; flax, 11.27 bu. ; buckwheat, 16.94 bu. 
The hay crop averaged 1.92 tons per acre, and in vegetables, potatoes 
averaged 82.54 bushels, onions, 104.5 bushels, and miscellaneous vege- 
• tables had an average value per acre of $32.00. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on ex- 
tensively in this county. In 1906 the county had 13 creameries, with 
an output of 1,181,488 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county for 
1908 was as follows: horses, 10,633, average value per head, $73.94; 
cattle, 28,041, average value per head, $18.33; sheep, 6,045, average 
value per head, $2.60; swine, 10,990, average value per head, $4.38. 

The county has 11 banks, the deposits of which are $716,930.12. 
It has 69 rural schools, 41. graded schools, 4 high schools, and 36 
churches, divided as follows: Lutheran, 16; Catholic, 7; Methodist, 7; 
Episcopal, 1; Congregational, 2; Baptist, 2; Advents, 1. It has 6 news- 
papers. 

There is one city and six villages within the borders of this county, 
viz: Henderson, 820; Arlington village, 798; New Auburn, 254; Gay- 
lord, 602; Gibbon, 528; Green Isle, 298; Winthrop, 1,031. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $7,084,027, 
of which $1,197,240 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county from $25 to $80 per acre, ac- 
cording to improvements and proximity to markets. 

STEARNS COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20, 1855, with the county seat 
at St. Cloud, and is situated a little south of the center of the state on 
the west side of the Mississippi river, about 70 miles northwest of the 



STEARNS COUNTY 



179 



cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being connected therewith by the 
Great Northern, Northern Pacific and Soo railroads which afford ex- 
cellent transportation facilities for the county. 

The soil is a rich, dark loam, with a clay subsoil. The surface is 
gently rolling prairie, being originally covered with a dense growth of 
timber, the principal varieties being oak, maple, ash, elm, basswood, 
tamarac and pine. 

The county is well drained by the Mississippi, Sauk, and north 
fork of the Crow rivers. There are within the limits of the county 
about 125 of the beautiful lakes for which Minnesota is noted. These 
lakes teem with all kinds of fish, making it an ideal spot for the angler. 

The area of the county is 1,330.07 square miles, or 851,241.39 acres, 
of which 814,220.09 acres are land, and 37,021.27 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 4,360 farms at an average value per acre 
of $38.68. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 15.69 bu. ; oats, 34.09 bu. ; corn, 30.07 
bu. ; barley, 28.49 bu. ; rye, 15.62 bu. ; flax, 11.26 bu. ; buckwheat, 10.84 
bu. The hay crop had an average of 1.55 tons per acre, and in vege- 
tables, potatoes averaged 91.89 bu. ; onions, 211.33 bu., and miscellaneous 
vegetables had an average value per acre of $55.75. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on ex- 
tensively in this county. In 1906 there were 39 creameries in this 
county with an output of 3,230,181 lbs. of butter. It also had one 
cheese factory with an output of 98,550 lbs. of cheese. The live stock 
of the county in 1908 was as follows: horses, 18,557, average value 
per head, $47.55; cattle, 57,025, average value per head, $20.10; sheep, 
12,455, average value per head, $2.65; swine, 20,206, average valufe 
per head, $3.53. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 47,120, of which 38,353 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
5,876; Sweden, 424; Norway, 540; Great Britain and Ireland, 821; 
Denmark, 71; Poland, 83; Bohemia, 27 ; Austria, 462; Russia, 32 ; other 
countries, 421. Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, 
together with manufacturing industries, of which the county has 241, 
with an invested capital of $1,626,361. 

The county has 20 banks, the deposits of which are $2,724,085.33. It 
has 180 rural schools, 17 graded schools, 3 high schools, and 83 churches 
with denominations as follows : Baptist, German Evangelical, Presby- 
terian, Methodist, Congregational, Unitarian, German, Swedish and Nor- 
wegian Lutheran, Catholic, Swedish Baptist, Seven-day Advents, Zion 
Evangelical, Swedish Mission, Church of God, Christian Science and Sal- 
vation Army. It also has 15 newspapers. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free deliveries, and local and long distance telephones. 
The county has three cities and nineteen villages, viz : St. Cloud (part 



180 



STEELE COUNTY 



of), population, 7,661; Sauk Center, 2,463; Melrose, 2,151; Albany vil- 
lage, 638; Avon, 215; Belgrade, 530; Brooten, 386; Cold Spring, 517; 
Eden Valley (part of), 255; Fairhaven, 145; Freeport, 458; Holding, 
137; Kimball Prairie, 364; Meires Grove, 190; New Munich, 188; New 
Paynesville, 926; Kichmond, 623; Kockville, 95; St. Joseph, 640; St. 
Martin, 100; Spring Hill, 108; Waite Park, 328. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $15,599,- 
275, of which $3,065,213 was personal property. 

On January 1, 1909, there were in this county 789 acres of state 
school lands unsold. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $25 per acre, and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

STEELE COUNTY. 

This county was organize February 20, 1855, with the county seat 
at Owatonna, and is located about 75 miles south of the Twin Cities, 
being connected therewith by the Eock Island, Milwaukee, and North- 
western railroads which traverse all parts of the county. 

The soil is a rich, black loam, resting on a clay subsoil. The sur- 
face is undulating prairie. The county is well drained by the Straight 
river and its tributaries. 

The area of the county is 430.59 square miles, or 275,579.16 acres, 
of which 272,761.47 acres are land, and 2,817.69 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 1,851 farms at an average value 
per acre of $58.60. Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied 
with United States rural free delivery, and local and long distance 
telephones. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 14.81 bu. ; oats, 29.12 bu. ; corn, 35.34 bu. ; 
barley, 30.04 bu.; rye, 16.18 bu.; flax, 11.77 bu.; buckwheat, 13.18 bu. 
The hay crop had an average of 2.59 tons per acre, and in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 92.39 bu. ; onions, 145.85 bu., and miscellaneous 
vegetables had an average value per acre of $36.11. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on ex- 
tensively in this county. In 1906 the county had 23 creameries, the 
output of which was 3,200,430 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the 
county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 8,135, average value per head, 
$61.58; cattle, 32,103, average value per head, $19.97; sheep, 2,940, 
average value per head, $2.64; swine, 12,234, average value per head, 
$4.38. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 16,593, of which 12,552 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
1,285; Sweden, 47; Norway, 525; Great Britain and Ireland, 314; Den- 
mark, 598; Bohemia, 772; Poland, 102; Austria, 9?'; other countries, 
33. Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together 



STEVENS COUNTY 



181 



with manufacturing industries of which the county has 94 with an in- 
vested capital of $508,994. 

The county has 6 banks, the deposits of which are $1,890,000. It 
has 93 rural schools, 2 graded schools, 2 high schools, and 32 churches, 
with denominations, as follows : Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Meth- 
odist, Baptist, Episcopal, Congregational, and Seven-Day Advents. It 
also has 5 newspapers. 

The county has 1 city and 2 villages, viz: Owatonna, population, 
5,651; Blooming Prairie, 900; Ellendale, 252. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $6,648,663, 
of which $1,269,148 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $30.00 per acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and location to markets. 

STEVENS COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20, 1862, with the county seat 
at Morris, and is situated in the west central part of the state, about 
150 miles from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being connected 
therewith by the Great Northern and Northern Pacific railroads which 
traverse all parts of the county. 

The soil is a rich, black loam with a clay subsoil. The surface is a 
high, rolling prairie drained by the Pomme De Terre river and its 
tributaries. 

The area of the county is 571.48 square miles, or 365,748 acres, of 
which 355,336.19 acres are land, and 10,411.81 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 1,062 farms at an average value per acre 
of $37.68. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones are 
within reach of all. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 9,212, of which 7,098 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 635; 
Sweden, 340; Norway, 641; Great Britain and Ireland, 307; Denmark, 
71; Russia/ 39; other countries, 84. Their occupations are chiefly the 
various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries, 
of which the county has 16, with an invested capital of $55,487. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics were as follows: wheat, 12.85 bu. ; oats, 28.59 bu. ; corn, 24.5 bu. ; 
barley, 26.02 bu. ; rye, 10 bu.; flax, 9.5 bu. ; buckwheat, 10 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.58 tons per acre, while in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 96 bu., and miscellaneous vegetables had an average 
value per acre of $35. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying and small fruit raising 
are carried on extensively. In 1904 the county had two creameries with 
an output of 142,933 lbs. of butter. The live stock for 1908 was as 



182 



SWIFT COUNTY 



follows: horses, 7,089, average value per head, $55.16; cattle, 13,680, 
average value per head, $18.1)7; sheep, 10,420, average value per head, 
$2.60; swine, 8,290, average value per head, $4.60. 

The county has 8 banks, the deposits of which are $794,478.32. It 
has 63 rural schools, 4 graded schools, 1 high school and 27 churches, 
with denominations as follows : Methodist-Episcopal, German Methodist, 
Congregational, Catholic, German, Norwegian and Swedish Lutherans, 
Swedish Free Mission, Episcopal, Dunkard and Advents. 

There is one city and three villages within the borders of this county, 
viz: Morris, population, 2,003; Chokio, 396; Donnelly,, 270; Hancock, 
563. It also has 4 newspapers. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $4,778,938, 
of which $779,464 was personal property. 

On January 1, 1909, there were in this county 588 acres of school 
lands unsold. 

Land 'can be purchased in this county at $25 per acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

SWIFT COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 18, 1870, with the county seat 
at Benson, and is located in the western part of the state, about 125 
miles from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being connected 
therewith by the Great Northern and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. 
Paul railroads, which afford excellent transportation facilities for the 
county. 

The soil is a dark loam, with a clay subsoil. The surface of the 
county is undulating prairie, interspersed with timber along the borders 
of the streams. The county is well drained by the Chippewa and Pom- 
me de Terre rivers. 

The area of the county is 757.73 square miles, or 484,945.45 acres, 
of which 475,553.36 acres are land, and 9,392.08 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 1,725 farms at an average value per acre 
of $28.10. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 12.19 bu. ; oats, 31.36 bu. ; corn, 29.13 bu. ; 
barley, 28.12 bu.; rye, 12,41 bu. ; flax, 9.24 bu.; buckwheat, 9.41 bu. 
The hay crop had an average of 1.72 tons per acre, and in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 104.46 bushels; and miscellaneous vegetables had an 
average value per acre of $44.51. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on extensive- 
ly in this county. In 1906 the county had 5 creameries with an output 
of 494,283 lbs. of butter. It also had 1 cheese factory with an output 
of 57,440 lbs. of cheese. The live stock of the county for 1908 was as 
follows : horses, 9,801, average value per head, $55.28 ; cattle, 19,445, 
average value per head, $15.90; sheep, 4,545, average value per head, 
$2.60; swine, 12,884, average value per head, $3.52. 



184 



TODD COUNTY 



The population of the county in 1905 was 13,575, of which 10,063 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
613; Sweden, 741; Norway, 1,554; Great Britain and Ireland, 475; 
Denmark, 57; Poland, 47; other countries, 25. Their occupations are 
the various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing indus- 
tries, of which the county has 68 with an invested capital of $246,196.00. 

The county has 10 banks, the deposits of which are $1,594,265.03. 
It has 89 rural schools, 5 graded schools, 2 high schools and 47 churches, 
divided as follows: Catholic, 8; Methodist, 6; Baptist, 3; Lutheran, 20; 
Presbyterian, 3 ; Free Mission, 2; Swedish Mission, 1; Congregational, 
2 ; and Episcopal, 2. It also has 6 newspapers. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with U. S. rural 
free delivery and telephones are within reach of all. The county has 
8 villages, viz: Appleton, population, 1,321; Benson, 1,766; Clontarf, 
136; Danvers, 219; DeGraff, 222; Halloway, 220; Kerkhoven, 454; 
Murdock, 285. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $5,458,517, 
of which $917,211 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $20 per acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and location to markets. 

TODD COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20, 1855, with tl e county seat 
at Long Prairie, and is situated in the eastern part of the famous "Park 
Region," It is about 130 miles northwest of the cities of Minneapolis 
and St. Paul, being connected therewith by the Northern Pacific and 
Great Northern railroads which traverse all parts of the county. 

The soil is a black loam with a clay subsoil. The surface is gently 
rolling. It was formerly covered with dense forests of maple, oak, birch, 
basswood, etc., which has nearly all been cut off, transforming the county 
into a rich agricultural district. 

The area/ of the county is 1,008.34 square miles, or 645,236.72 acres, 
of which 618,225.14 acres are land, and 27,111.58 acres are water. 
The land surface is divided into 3,277 farms at an average value per 
acre of $24.40. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones are within 
reach of all. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 24,638, of which 20,038 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
1,557; Sweden, 973; Norway, 939; Great Britain and Ireland, 512; Den- 
mark, 50; Bohemia, 113; Poland, 246; Finland, 51; France, 19; other 
countries, 140. Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, 
together with manufacturing industries of which the county has 24, with 
an invested capital of $193,626. 



TRAVERSE COUNTY 



185 



The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, for 1907 was: wheat, 
.14.5 bu. ; oats, 27 bu. ; corn, 27.5 bu. ; barley, 22 bu. ; rye, 16 bu. ; flax, 
9.3 bu. ; buckwheat, 14 bu. The hay crop averaged 1.75 tons per acre, 
while in vegetables, potatoes averaged 100 bushels, onions, 110 bushels, 
and miscellaneous vegetables had an average value per acre of $44.60. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying and fruit raising are 
extensively carried on. In 1906 the county had 15 creameries, the out- 
put of which was 1,179,541 lbs. of butter; also, 3 cheese factories, the 
output of which was 178,550 lbs. of cheese. 

Live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows : horses, 9,684, aver- 
age value per head, $55.09 ; cattle, 35,945, average value per head, $16.14; 
sheep, 7,820, average value per head, $3.57; swine, 10,398, average value 
per head, $4.15. 

The county has 15 banks, the deposits of which are $696,829.23. It 
has 126 rural schools, 6 graded schools, 4 high schools, 2 private schools, 
and 38 churches, with denominations as follows : Catholic, Methodist, 
Episcopal, German, Swedish and Norwegian Lutheran. 

It also has 10 newspapers. The county has one city and ten villages, 
viz: Staples, population, 2,163; Bertha, 376; Bowerville, 626; Bertram, 
200; Clarissa, 388; Eagle Bend, 610; Grey Eagle, 396; Hewitt, 320; 
Long Prairie, 1,256; Osakis (part of), 92; West Union, 167'. 

. The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $6,819,800, 
of which $1,275,564 was personal property. 

On January 1, 1909, there were in the county 4,616 acres of school 
lands unsold. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $15 per acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

TRAVERSE COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 20, 1862, with the county seat 
at Wheaton. It is situated in the famous Bed Biver Yalley, about 150 
miles northwest of the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and is con- 
nected therewith by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul and Great North- 
ern railroads which afford excellent transportation facilities for the coun- 

ty. 

The soil is a rich, black loam with a clay subsoil. The surface is un- 
dulating prairie, drained by the Muslinka river into Lake Traverse which 
separates the county from the state of South Dakota. 

The area of the county is 581.83 square miles, or 372,369.46 acres, 
of which 363,463.46 acres are land, and 8,906 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 963 farms at an average value per 
acre of $26.67. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 7,985, of which 6,175 were 
native born. The foreign population was as follows : Germany, 543 ; 



186 



TRAVERSE COUNTY 




WABASHA COUNTY 



187 



Sweden, 749; Norway, 173; Great Britain and Ireland, 233; Denmark, 
51; Austria, 19; Russia, 18; other countries, 42. 

Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with 
manufacturing industries, of which the county has 45, with an invested 
capital of $113,740. 

The cereal crop and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 15.25 bu. ; oats, 38 bu. ; corn, 28 bu. ; bar- 
lev, 27 bu.; flax, 11.5 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.5 tons per acre, and in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 100.14 bushels, onions, 106 bushels, while miscella- 
neous vegetables had an average of $36.25 per acre. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying and fruit raising are 
quite extensively carried on. In 1906 the county had 2 creameries with 
an output of 60,795 lbs. of butter. The live stock for 1908 was as fol- 
lows : horses, 7,374, average value per head, $54.11; cattle, 10,348, aver- 
age value per head, $19.92; sheep, 4,295, average value per head, $2.60; 
swine, 6,246, average value per head, $4.43. 

The county has 7 banks, the deposits of which are $525,000. It 
has 56 rural schools, 1 graded school. 2 high schools, and 23 churches, 
with denominations as follows : Catholic, Lutheran, Presb} r terian, Bap- 
tist and Methodist. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones are 
within reach of all. 

There are five villages within the borders of the county, viz : Brown 
"Valley, population, 902 ; Dumont, 140; Folsom, 272; Tintah, 282; 
Wheaton, 1,346. It also has 3 newspapers. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $4,381,809, 
of which $616,545 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $20 per acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

WABASHA COUNTY. 

This county was organized October 27, 1849, with the county seat 
at Wabasha, and is situated in the southeastern part of the state, about 
60 miles from the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and about 30 miles 
from Winona, being connected therewith by the Chicago, Milwaukee & 
St. Paul railroad, which affords ample transportation facilities for all 
products grown in the county. 

The soil is a dark loam with a clay subsoil. The surface of Wabasha 
county, like all other counties in the southern part of the state, is fine, 
undulating prairie. It is drained by the Zumbro, Indian, Whitewater 
and Mississippi rivers. 

The area of the county is 594.63 square miles, or 380,562.24 acres, of 
which 355,514.17 acres are land, and 25,018.07 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 2,511 farms at an average value per acre 
of $52.30. 



188 



WADENA COUNTY 



The population of the county in 1905 was 18,710, of which 15,228 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
2,174; Sweden, 416; Norway, 110; Great Britain and Ireland, 631; Den- 
mark, 27; Austria, 16; other countries, 108. Their occupations are the 
various agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries, 
of which the county has 142, with an invested capital of $744,853. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 16.18 bu.; oats, 35.63 bu. ; corn, 34.33 bu. ; 
barley, 27.49 bu.; rye, 14.88 bu.; flax, 11.56 bu.; buckwheat, 14.85 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.82 tons per acre, while in vege- 
tables, potatoes, averaged 118.71 bushels, onions, 351.71 bushels, and 
miscellaneous vegetables had an average value of $45.03 per acre. 

Live stock, dairying, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively. In 1906 the county had 8 creameries, the output of which was 
756,104 lbs. of butter; also, one cheese factory with an output of 1,000 
lbs. of cheese. 

The live stock for 1908 was as follows : horses, 9,140, average value 
per head, $58.46; cattle, 27,656, average value per head, $17.91; sheep, 
20,295, average value per head, $2.60; swine, 15,048, average value per 
head, $5.25. 

The county has 11 banks, the deposits of which are $1,696,377.42. 
It has 94 rural schools, 7 graded schools, 4 high schools, 1 private school, 
and 53 churches divided as follows : Methodist, 17 ; Catholic, 10 ; Luther- 
an, 10; Presbyterian, 2; Episcopal, 2; Universalist, 1; World's Gospel, 
1; Church of Christ, 2; Congregational, 5; Evangelical, 3. It also has 
11 newspapers. 

Nearly every farm home is supplied with United States rural free 
delivery, and local and long distance telephones are within easy reach 
of all. 

The county has two cities, and nine villages, viz. : Wabasha, popula- 
tion, 2,619; Lake City, 2,877; Elgin village, 358; Hammond, 272; Kel- 
logg, 406; Mazeppa, 556; Millville, 165; Weaver, 125; Minneiska, 338; 
Plainview, 1,140; Zumbro Falls, 149. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $6,586,784, 
of which $1,395,988 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county from $40 to $100 an acre, ac- 
cording to improvements and proximity to markets. 



WADENA COUNTY. 

This county was organized June 11, 1858, with the county seat at 
Wadena, and is situated in the "Park Kegion" of Minnesota, just within 
the limits of the Mississippi valley, and is a part of the land where the 
mighty forests of eastern Minnesota give way to the boundless prairie on 
the west. 



WADENA COUNTY 



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190 



WADENA COUNTY 



The general character of the soil is a dark, sandy loam, from eight 
inches to two feet deep, containing large quantities of potash, lime, and 
clay, making very fertile soil for the production of cereal and root crops. ' 

The surface of the county is generally level, with many natural mead- 
ows which can be cut in their natural state with a mowing machine. 

The county is well drained by the Crow Wing river and its tributaries. 

The area of the county is 722.78 square miles, or 462,580 acres, of 
which 452,751,16 acres are land, and 9,828.84 acres are water. The land 
surface is divided into 1,002 farms at an average value per acre of $17.16. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 9,217, of which 5,215 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 490; 
Sweden, 281; Norway, 301; Great Britain and Ireland, 239; Denmark, 
82; Finland, 626; other countries, 83. Their occupations are the va- 
rious agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing industries of 
which the county has 66 with an invested capital of $174,382. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 11.97 bu. ; oats, 20.51 bu. ; corn, 24.82 bu. ; 
barley, 20.95 bu.; rye, 10.09 bu. ; flax, 11.78 bu. ; buckwheat, 10.15 bu. 

The hay crop averaged 1.36 tons per acre, and in vegetables, potatoes 
averaged 99.14 bushels, and miscellaneous vegetables had an average value 
per acre of $56.25. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and small fruits raising are carried on 
quite extensively. In 1906 the county had 5 creameries, the output of 
which was 313,672 lbs. of butter. It also had one cheese factory, with an 
output of 46,340 lbs. of cheese. 

'The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows: horses, 3,197, 
average value per head, $57.44; cattle, 11,779, average value per head, 
$20.26; sheep, 2,505, average value per head, $1.73; swine, 2,626, aver- 
age value per head, $5.57. 

The county has five banks, the deposits of which are $542,932.26. It 
has 58 rural schools, 3 graded schools, one high school, one private school, 
and 15 churches, divided as follows: Catholic, 1; Congregational, 2; 
Methodist, 5 ; Episcopal, 1 ; German Evangelical, 1 ; Norwegian Luther- 
an, 1 ; German Lutheran, 2 ; Finnish, 2. It also has 3 newspapers. 

The Great Northern railroad, with its branches, furnish excellent 
transportation facilities for the county. 

The county has four villages within its boundaries, viz : Menahga, 
population, 338; Sebeka, 416; Verndale, 685; Wadena, 1,868. 



WASECA COUNTY 



191 



The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $2,877,490, 
of which $604,071 was personal property. 

On January 1, 1909, there were, in this county, 9,713 acres of state 
school lands unsold. 

Land can he purchased in this county from $5 to $35 per acre, accord- 
ing to location and improvements. 



WASECA COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 27, 1857, with the county seat at 
Waseca. It is located in the central tier of counties north of the Iowa 
line. 

The topographical features of the county are much the same as are 
to be found in other counties of southern Minnesota. Originally the 
surface was two-thirds fine, rolling prairie, diversified and enriched by 
many beautiful lakes of pure water. The remainder was timber, which 
has been cut and the land transformed into a rich agricultural district. 

What has been said concerning the soil and production of other south- 
ern counties of the state, can also be said of Waseca county. The soil 
is a rich, dark-colored loam, resting on a clay subsoil. 

The area of the county is 437.01 square miles, or 279,685.91 acres, 
of which 268,161.75 acres are land, and 11,524.16 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 1,716 farms at an average value per acre of 
$55.28. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones are within reach 
of all 

The population of the county in 1905 was 13,633, of which 10,919 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
1,449; Sweden, 224; Norway, 493; Great Britain and Ireland, 392; 
Denmark, 49 ; Bohemia, 45 ; Austria, 36 ; other countries, 26. 

Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with 
manufacturing industries of which the county has 106, with an invested 
capital of $624,667. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows : wheat, 14.44 bu. ; oats, 32.81 bu. ; corn, 38.92 bu. ; 
barley, 29.03 bu.; rye, 12.98 bu.; flax, 10.15 bu. ; buckwheat, 10.45 bu. 

The hay crop averaged 1.99 tons per acre, and in vegetables, potatoes 
averaged 83.1 bushels; onions, 135.5 bushels, and miscellaneous vege- 
tables had an average value per acre of $41.24. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively in this county. In 1906 the county had 15 creameries, the output 
of which was 1,576,508 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county in 
1908 was as follows : horses, 7,580, average value per head, $54.86 : 



192 



WASHINGTON COUNTY 



cattle, 23,868, average value. per head, $19.49; sheep, 5,880, average value 
per head, $2.60; swine, 10,710, average value per head, $3.52. 

The county has 4 banks, the deposits of which are $826,003.80. It 
has 91 rural schools, 4 graded schools, 3 high schools, 1 private school, 
and 33 churches, divided as follows: English Methodist, 2; German 
Methodist, 4; Swedish Mission, 1; Congregational, 3; Catholic, 6; Ger- 
man Evangelical, 3; German Lutheran, 9; Norwegian Lutheran, 4; 
Swedish Lutheran, 1. It also has 4 newspapers. 

The county is well supplied with transportation facilities, having the 
Minneapolis & St. Louis, Chicago & Northwestern, Duluth, St. Cloud, 
Glencoe & Mankato, and Chicago Great Western railroads which tra- 
verse all parts of the county. 

The county has one city and two villages, viz: Waseca, population, 
2,838, Janesville, 1,205, and New Richland, 697. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $5,362,946, 
of which $908,913 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $35 an acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

WASHINGTON COUNTY. 

This county was organized October 27, 1849, with the county seat at 
Stillwater, and is situated in the eastern portion of the state, being bound- 
ed on the north by Chisago county; on the east by the St. Croix river 
which separates it from Wisconsin ; on the south by the Mississippi river, 
which separates it from Dakota county, and west by the Mississippi river, 
Ramsey and Anoka counties. 

The soil is a dark loam, and sandy loam, with clay subsoil. The 
surface of the southern half of the county is a rich, rolling prairie, the 
central portion being composed of small prairies and oak openings, while 
the northern part which was originally covered with a dense growth of 
timber, has been cleared and transformed into rich agricultural lands. 

The county is well watered, having a number of small lakes and 
streams. Notably among the lakes is White Bear, one of the foremost 
summer resorts of the state. The bluffs along the St. Croix lake and 
river, although not very high, are often bold and precipitous, presenting 
beautiful scenery, and in many places broken by natural valleys, water 
courses and deep ravines. 

The area of the county is 430.01 square miles, or 275,205.35 acres, of 
which 261,675.02 acres are land, and 13,530.33 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 1,455 farms at an average value per acre of 
$76.15. 

Every farm home in this county is supplied with United States rural 
free delivery; local and long distance telephones, which, together with 



WATONWAN COUNTY 



193 



the excellent transportation facilities to the markets of Minneapolis, St. 
Paul and Duluth, make it an ideal place for the agriculturist and manu- 
facturer. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 28,884, of which 20,354 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
2,171; Sweden, 2,085; Norway, 499; Great Britain and Ireland, 1,851; 
Denmark, 241; Austria, 63; France, 33; other countries, 190. Their 
occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with manu- 
facturing, of which the county has 150, with an invested capital of 
$5,750,000. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 16.37 bu. ; oats, 34.49 bu. ; corn, 30.5 bu. ; 
barley, 27.27 bu.; rye, 16.84 bu.; flax, 14.66 bu. ; buckwheat, 19.39 bu. 

The hay crop averaged 1.52 tons per acre, and in vegetables, pota- 
tatoes averaged 94.21 bushels, onions, 206.47 bushels, while miscellaneous 
vegetables had an average value of $49.26 per acre. 

In addition to the above, live stock, dairying, poultry and fruit rais- 
ing are carried on extensively. In 1906 the county had 6 creameries, 
the output of which was 797,578 lbs. of butter. Also 1 cheese factory 
with an output of 30,680 lbs. of cheese. 

The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows : horses, 7,375, 
average value per head, $88.05; cattle, 20,429, average value per head, 
$23.15; sheep, 10,790, average value per head, $3.48; swine, 8,010, 
average value per head, $5.80. 

The county has 5 banks, the deposits of which are $3,500,000. It 
has 71 rural schools, 9 graded schools, 1 high school, and 40 churches, 
divided as follows: Catholic, 6; German Lutheran, 11; Presbyterian, 
2 ; Congregational, 4 ; Swedish Lutheran, 5 ; Methodist, 4 ; other denomi- 
nations, 8. It also has 8 newspapers. 

The county has one city and six villages, viz. : Stillwater, population, 
12,435; Oak Park, village, 354; Forest Lake, 454; Lakeland, 343; Ma- 
rine, 526; Newport, 372; South Stillwater, 1,572. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $9,762,252, 
of which $2,370,244 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $60 an acre, and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

WATONWAN COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 25, 1860, with the county seat 
at St. James. It is located in the center of the second tier of counties 
north of the Iowa line. The topographical features of the county are 
much the same as are to be found in the other counties of southern Min- 
nesota. 

The surface is fine, rolling prairie, diversified and enriched by beauti- 
ful lakes of pure water. Numerous creeks and rivers flow through the 



194 



WATONWAN COUNTY 



county, the largest of which are the Cottonwood and Perch rivers. What 
has been said concerning the soil and production of other southern coun- 
ties in the state, is also applicable to Watonwan county. The soil is a 
rich, dark-colored loam, varying from two to four feet in depth, and 
resting on a clay subsoil. 

The area of the county is 435.45 square miles, or 278,689.92 acres, 
of which 277,051.92 acres are land, and 1,638 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 1,382 farms at an average value per acre 
of $41.25. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones, which, 
together with the excellent transportation facilities to the markets of 
Minneapolis, St. Paul, Winona, Mankato, and other cities in the state, 
make it an ideal home for the agriculturist. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 11,494, of which 8,551 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: German}^ 
673; Sweden, 676; Norway, 1,015; Great Britain and Ireland, 193; Ben- 
mark, 73; Austria, 83; Russia, 197; other countries, 33. Their occu- 
pations are the various agricultural pursuits together with manufacturing 
industries of which the county has 21, with an invested capital of $1,245,- 
755. 

The cereal crop, and average bushels per acre for 1907 was as fol- 
lows : wheat, 15 bu. ; oats, 30 bu. ; corn, 30 bu.; barle}^, 25.8 bu. ; rye, 
14 bu. ; flax, 10 bu. The hay crop averaged 2 tons per acre, and in 
vegetables, potatoes averaged 95.65 bushels; onions, 211.25 bushels, while 
miscellaneous vegetables had an average value of $43.37. 

Live stock, dairying, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively. In 1906 the county had 11 creameries, the output of which was 
919,043 lbs. of butter; also, 1 cheese factory with an output of 127,750 
lbs. of cheese. The live stock of the county m 1908 was as follows: 
horses, 7,813, average value per head, $61.66; cattle, 15,873, average 
value per head, $18.69; sheep, 7,960, average value per head, $2.60; 
swine, 19,996, average value per head, $4.38. 

The county has 12 banks, the deposits of which are $1,044,562.81. 

It has 56 rural schools, 3 graded schools, 2 high schools, 3 private 
schools, and 28 churches divided as follows : Lutheran, 15 ; Catholic, 2 ; 
Methodist, 2; Presbyterian, 3; Baptist, 2; Christ, 2; Episcopal, 2. It 
also has 5 newspapers. 

The county has one city and four villages, viz. ; St. J ames, population, 
2,320; Ormsby (part of), 52; Madelia, 1,290; Lewisville, 154; Butter- 
field, 353. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $5,605,515, 
of which $1,019,031 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $35 an acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 



WILKIN COUNTY 



195 



WILKIN COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 6, 1868, with the county seat at 
Breckenridge. It is situated in the western part of the state, being 
separated from North Dakota by the famous Red Eiver of the North. 

The soil is a black loam with a clay subsoil. The surface is a fine, 
high prairie, drained by the Red, Buffalo and Rabbit Rivers. 

The area of the county is 751.04 square miles, or 480,664.88 acres 
of which 476,387.76 acres are land, and 4,277.12 acres are water. The 
land surface is divided into 1,207 farms at an average value per acre 
of $24.05. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

The county has excellent transportation facilities, having three roads, 
viz. : Soo, Great Northern and Northern Pacific, which traverse all parts 
of the county. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 9,279, of which 7,301 were 
native born, the foreign population being as follows : Germany, 567 ; 
Sweden, 216; Norway, 661; Great Britain and Ireland, 286; Denmark, 
46; Bohemia, 98; Austria, 58; other countries, 46. Their occupations 
are chiefly agricultural pursuits, together with manufacturing indus- 
tries, of wtiich the county has 25, with an invested capital of $102,860. 

The cereal crop, and average bushels per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 12.89 bu.; oats, 28.07' bu.; corn, 25.28 
bu.; barley, 24.91 bu.; rye, 26.02 bu.; flax, 8.44 bu. 

The hay crop had an average of 1.37 tons per acre, while in vege- 
tables, potatoes averaged 91.43 bushels; onions, 107 bushels and mis- 
cellaneous vegetables had an average value per acre of $41.87. 

Live stock, dairying, and small fruit raising are carried on quite ex- 
tensively. In 1906 the county had 4 creameries, with an output of 220,- 
870 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county for 1908 was as follows : 
horses, 8,019, average value per head, $54.06; cattle, 10,899, average 
value per head, $19.86; sheep, 3,020, average value per head, $3.84; 
swine, 4,618, average value per head, $3.53. 

The county has 9 banks, the deposits of which are $706,236. It has 
67 rural schools; 4 graded schools; 1 high school, and 23 churches, as 
follows : German Evangelist, 1 ; German Lutheran, 5 ; Norwegian Bap- 
tist, 1; Norwegian Lutheran, 4; Presbyterian, 1; Catholic, 4; Baptist, 
1 ; Methodist, 3 ; Episcopal, 1 ; Union Congregational, 1 ; Swedish Luther- 
an, 1. It also has 6 newspapers. 

Within the borders of this county there are seven thriving villages, 
viz: Breckenridge, population, 1,850; Tenny, 251; Campbell, 317; Fox- 
home, 266; Kent, 118; Rothsay, 345 ; Wolverton, 136. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $5,372,536, 
of which $751,289 was personal property. 



WINONA COUNTY 



197 



Land can be purchased in this county from $15 to $40, according to 
improvements and proximity to markets. 

WINONA COUNTY. 

This county was organized February 23, 1854, with the county seat 
at Winona. It is situated in the southeastern part of the state, being in 
the second tier of counties north of the Iowa line, and separated from 
Wisconsin by the Mississippi river. 

The soil of this county is similar to the soil of other counties in the 
southern portion of the state, being a black loam, with a clay subsoil. 
The eastern portion of the county is very broken, while the western por- 
tion consists of rolling prairies, interspersed with ravines and valleys. 

The county has numerous streams which furnish a large amount of 
waterpower, and natural drainage for the county. 

The area of the county is 638.92 square miles, or 408,909.9 acres, of 
which 406,325.09 acres are land, and 2,584.81 acres are water. The land 
surface is divided into 2,127 farms at an average value per acre of $81.61. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United 
States rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 35,836, of which 28,389 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany y 
4,015; Sweden, J34; Norway, 432; Great Britain and Ireland, 981; Den- 
mark, 88; Bohemia, 57; Poland, 1,401; Austria, 175; other countries, 
164. Their occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together 
with manufacturing industries, of which the county has 217, with an 
invested capital of $6,435,150. 

The cereal crop, and average bushels per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 14.98 bu.; oats, 33.33 bu.; corn, 35.32 bu.; 
barley, 26.48 bu.; rye, 20.39 bu.; flax, 12.51 bu.; buckwheat, 13.62 bu. 
The hay crop had an average of 1.72 tons per acre, and in vegetables, 
potatoes averaged 71.84 bushels; onions, 240.56 bushels, and miscellaneous 
vegetables had an average value of $58.29 per acre. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively in this county. In 1906 the county had 17 creameries, with an 
output of 1,492,914 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county for 1908 
was as follows: horses, 10,836, average value per head, $63.47; cattle, 
35,005, average value per head, $20.71; sheep, 15,950, average value per 
head, $2.60; swine, 18,110, average value per head, $5.25. 

The county has 12 banks, the deposits of which are $5,944,250. It 
has 115 rural schools, 8 graded schools, 2 high schools, and 68 churches, 
divided as follows: Congregational, 4; Lutheran, 16; Baptist, 7; Meth- 
odist, 16; Catholic, 11; Immanuel, 1; Presbyterian, 5; Episcopal, 5; 



198 



WRIGHT COUNTY 



Unitarian, 1; Moravian, 1; United Brethren, 1. It also has 11 news- 
papers. 

This county is well supplied with railroad facilities, having the Chi- 
cago & Northwestern, Chicago & Great Western, Chicago, Milwaukee & 
St. Paul and Burlington railroads. These railroads bring all sections 
of the county in close proximity to the markets of Minneapolis, St. Paul, 
Winona and other cities of the state. 

The county has 2 cities and 8 villages, viz ; Winona, population, 20,- 
334; St. Charles, 1,238; Dakota village, 168; Dresbach, 216; Elba, 197; 
Stockton, 180; Lewiston, 388; Minnesota City, 209; Rolling Stone, 192; 
Utica, 214. 

The total assessed valuation of the county for 1908 was $14,165,035, 
of which $3,344,962 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $50 an acre and upwards, 
according to location and improvements. 

WRIGHT COUNTY^ 

This county was organied February 20,1855, with the county seat 
at Buffalo, and is situated in the south central part of the state, about 
40 miles west of the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, being connected 
therewith by the Great Northern and Soo railroads, which traverse all 
portions of the county. 

The soil is a black, and sandy loam with a clay subsoil. The surface 
is gently rolling interspersed with numerous lakes. The county is well 
drained by the Mississippi and Crow rivers with their tributaries. 

The area of the county is 713.97 square miles, or 456,939.32 acres, 
of which 424,353.82 acres are land, and 32,585.5 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 3,787 farms at an average value per 
acre of $35.40. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

The population of the county in 1905' was 29,467, of which 22,565 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
2,633; Norway, 293; Great Britain and Ireland, 1,026; Denmark, 53; 
Bohemia, 124; Finland, 322; France, 34; other countries, 109. Their 
occupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with manu- 
facturing industries, of which the county has 109, with an invested capi- 
tal of $360,031. 

The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 18.72 bu.; oats, 39.72 bu.; corn, 33.38 bu.; 
barley, 29.65 bu.; rye, 19.84 bu.; flax, 8.97 bu.; the hay crop had an 
average of 2.24 tons per acre. In vegetables, potatoes averaged 92.52 
bushels; onions, 160 bushels, and miscellaneous vegetables had an aver- 
age value per acre of $65.55. 



YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTY 



199 



Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on exten- 
sively in this county. In 1906 the county had 28 creameries, the output 
of which was 2,505,267 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county for 
1908 was as follows: horses, 12,697, average value per head, $65.14; 
cattle, 44,303, average value per head, $21.57; sheep, 6,000, average value 
per head, $2.64; swine, 18,664, average value per head, $4.60. 

The county has 22 banks, the deposits of which are $2,219,706.77. 
It has 129 rural schools, 9 graded schools, 5 high schools, and 58 churches 
with denominations as follows: Congregational, Lutheran, Baptist, 
Methodist, Catholic, Presbyterian and Episcopal. It also has 10 news- 
papers. 

The county has 15 villages, viz; Annandale, population, 522; Buffalo, 
1,124; Clearwater, 287; Cokato, 721; Delano, 1,023; Hanover, 233; 
Howard Lake, 763; Maple Lake, 526; Monticello, 973; Montrose, 333; 
Eockford, 313; South Haven, 251; St. Michaels, 372; St. Michaels Sta- 
tion, 209 ; Waverly, 582. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $7,704,378, 
of which $1,824,378 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county at $25 an acre and upwards, 
according to improvements and proximity to markets. 

YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTY. 

This county was organized March 6, 1871, with the county seat at 
Granite Falls, and is situated in the southwestern part of the state. It 
is surrounded by the counties of Lac Qui Parle, Chippewa, Renville, 
Eedwood, Lyon, Lincoln, and the state of South Dakota. 

The soil is a rich, dark loam, with a clay subsoil. The surface, like 
adjoining counties, is a high rolling prairie. The county is well draiu- 
ed by the Minnesota river whch forms the northeastern boundary, the 
Yellow Medicine river, which flows in a northeasterly direction through 
the eastern part, and Lac Qui Parle river which flows through the west- 
ern part of the county. 

The area of the county is 763.12 square miles, or 488,398.27 acres, 
of which 481,664.26 acres are land, and 6,734.01 acres are water. 

The land surface is divided into 2,177 farms at an average value per 
acre of $35.07. 

Nearly every farm home in this county is supplied with United States 
rural free delivery, and local and long distance telephones. 

The population of the county in 1905 was 15,899, of which 11,540 
were native born, the foreign population being as follows: Germany, 
861; Sweden, 542; Norway, 2,593; Great Britain and Ireland, 153; 
Denmark, 58; Bohemia, 69; Austria, 28; other countries, 55. Their oc- 
cupations are the various agricultural pursuits, together with manufac- 
turing industries of which the county has 61, with an invested capital of 
$185,428, 



200 



YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTY 



The cereal crop, and average bushel per acre, according to last statis- 
tics, were as follows: wheat, 14.68 bu.; oats, 42.84 bu.; corn, 27.55 bu.; 
barley, 33.3 bu.; rye, 15.27 bu.; flax, 11.86 bu. The hay crop had an 
average of 1.84 tons per acre, and in vegetables, potatoes averaged 86.34 
bushels, and miscellaneous vegetables had an average value per acre of 
$44.82. 

Dairying, live stock, poultry and fruit raising are carried on quite 
extensively in this county. In 1906 the county had 4 creameries, the 
output of which was 172,962 lbs. of butter. The live stock of the county 
in 1908 was as follows: horses, 12,372, average value per head, $55.63; 
cattle, 25,997', average value per head, $17.61; sheep, 4,865, average 
value per head, $2.59; swine, 20,540, average value per head, $3.52. 

The county has 15 banks, the deposits of which are $1,931,083.55. 
It has 97 rural schools, 6 graded schools, 2 high schools, and 45 churches, 
with denominations as follows : German, Swedish and Norwegian Luth- 
eran, Catholic, Methodist, Episcopal, Church of Christ, Baptist and 
Congregational. It also has 8 newspapers. 

The county has one city and seven villages, viz: Granite Falls (part 
of), population 1,340; Canby, 1,505; Clarkfield, 614; Echo, 446; Hanley 
Falls, 309; Hazel Run, 181; Porter, 233; Woodlake, 347. 

The total assessed valuation of the county in 1908 was $7,442,463, 
of which $1,304,865 was personal property. 

Land can be purchased in this county from $35 to $60 an acre, de- 
pending upon the improvements, kind of soil an location, but more in 
particular upon the improvements made on the land. 




First Residence Building- Erected by the State of Minnesota In Itasca State 
Park. It Overlooks the Lake and Is now Used by the Regents of 
the State University for a Forestry School. 



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MINNESOTA. 

Counties, Creeks, Indian Reservations, Lakes, Rivers, and Towns. 



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MINNESOTA 



A STATE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CAPITALIST, 
MANUFACTURER, MERCHANT, FARMER, AND LABORER 

Hundreds of thriving cities and villages inviting the Capitalist, Merchant, and Pro- 
fessional man to a profitable field. 

Thousands of horse power in our many rivers waiting to be harnessed to turn the 
wheels of manufacture. 

-MiHiens~e£- acres of fertile land ready to receive the thrifty young farmer. 

2,000,000 acres of Federal lands yet unoccupied, and 2,500,000 acres of State school 
lands unsold. 

The State will offer good farm lands at $5.00 per acre and upwards (15 per cent 
cash, 40 years' time on remainder at 4 per cent interest). 

Thousands of places in our factories and mills, or on our railroads, waterways, and 
farms, for the laboring man. 

Pure water, healthful climate, splendid schools and churches, and a state unparalleled 
for natural resources — these are among the many inducements for thrifty citizens to cast 
their lot within the border lines of 

MINNESOTA 

Information regarding the opportunities and natural resources of this Great State 
will be furnished upon application to the 

MINNESOTA STATE BOARD OF IMMIGRATION 

JOHN A. JOHNSON S. G. IVERSON JULIUS A. SCHMAHL A.E.NELSON GFOR««» 



PUBLISHED BY 

MINNESOTA 
STATE BOARD OF 
IMMIGRATION 



John A. Johnson, Governor 
Julius A. Schmahl, Secretary of State 
S. G. Iverson, State Auditor 
Geo. B. Barnes, Jr., Campbell 
A. E Nelson, Minneapolis 



GEO. WELSH, Commissioner of Immigratio 

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA 



